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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28694085">Team Seven vs Coffee</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/stratocumulus/pseuds/stratocumulus'>stratocumulus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>College AU, Crack, Dai-nana-han | Team 7 as Family (Naruto), F/F, Fluff, Gen, Humor, M/M, Modern AU, No beta we die like Neji, No relationship drama because Sasuke's existence itself is drama enough, Slice of Life, Tooth Rotting Fluff, Wedding, coffee shop AU, established relationship kakagai, except neji isn't dead here, inosaku and narugaa get together, minimal plot coverage, proposal, tags and tropes to be added, will sasuke ever learn to love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:00:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>43,406</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28694085</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/stratocumulus/pseuds/stratocumulus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A very non-serious Team Seven coffee shop au wherein Naruto pines over the stoic redhead who visits everyday, Sasuke betrays the team to further his career at a large coffee chain corporation, and for some reason Sakura keeps insisting they order fresh flowers on the regular even though it is a totally unnecessary expense</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gaara/Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>162</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Naruto leans over on the counter, with a loud, dreamy sigh. He stretches out his arms, then cups his face between his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s so cute,” he says. “One day we’re going to bump into each other on the street, and it’ll be the cutest meet-cute to ever meet and I’ll ask him out and we’ll fall in love and get like 12 dogs and it’ll be amazing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura smacks in on the back of the head with a dish towel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Help me wipe down, you dope,” she says. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sakura, you are so mean!” he cries. “Have you not a romantic bone in your body?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto mans the register of the Team Seven coffee shop, and every weekday during the tail end of the morning rush, when Gaara the aforementioned redhead came in for his daily coffee, Naruto would turn up the charm to 12.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he could be </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> charming; the only reason he was staffed at the counter of a coffee shop even though he couldn’t make a cup of joe worth his salt and couldn’t work the espresso machine, was because people love Naruto. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The shop was an inheritance of sort; owned by his half brother Kakashi who had been left the deed to the property by the man they called their grandfather, really their godfather. Kakashi liked to joke that half their customer base was here because of Naruto, but it was probably pretty close to the truth (and thus instated a rule where employees were not allowed to ask anyone out in the shop, nor accept dates).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In fact, Sakura’s pretty sure that despite Gaara never speaking two words beyond the typical, polite interaction between customer and cashier, despite his completely unreadable face, she was pretty damn sure he was half in love with Naruto already.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After all, their first meeting Naruto had tripped and spilled a full cup of scalding coffee all over Gaara. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Gaara had come back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke squeezes past Sakura to their old espresso machine without greeting anyone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let me guess, Mr. Hasn’t Slept in a Decade said ‘medium coffee, milk no sugar,’ and Naruto fell over himself telling Gaara how welcome he was, and Gaara said ‘thanks Naruto’ and left, and now Naruto is planning their wedding,” Sasuke says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Basically,” Sakura snorts. “What’re you doing in?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke!” Naruto greets him with a sunny smile, ignoring the Gaara comment. “Why are you in so early, you don’t start til afternoon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tch. I have a meeting with a vendor, to see about getting a new machine to replace this dump.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not a dump!” Naruto says, hugging the old machine protectively, patting the old frog sticker he stuck on it as a kid. “It’s antique!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I doubt our customers want to be drinking antique coffee.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes they do! It gives the coffee character!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura sighs, because she’s not paid enough to play mediator.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s nice and all, but is there room in the budget for that? Did Kakashi okay it?” she asks doubtfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tch.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not an answer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’ll agree once he sees my business plan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really, now,” she says skeptically. Sasuke doesn’t deign to answer.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i love comments and questions!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kakashi likes to take the lazy afternoon shift right after the post-lunch influx and duck out again before the last evening wave of customers, meaning he doesn’t lift a damn finger except to flip through his trashy magazines at the counter and ring up the occasional order or two.</p><p> </p><p>He supposes that a businessman such as himself should feel a little worse about slow traffic, but Kakashi is just an optimist like that.</p><p> </p><p>Besides, sometimes the customers were pasty reptilian bastards like Orochimaru.</p><p> </p><p>“I think I’ll have...one of the handcrafted blends,” Orochimaru says, lightly tapping a finger to his chin. Kakashi gives him a bored look and points at the chalkboard overhead so as to avoid conversation. He’d met Orochimaru, founder and head of R&amp;D at Sound Foods, enough times at industry conventions to have a personal dislike of the man. He could ask what brought the man out of the lab and into their trendy part of town, or what innovations he was up to, or to please leave and never come again, but that would require actually doing something. Besides, he wanted to to know more about who Princess Tsunade was seen leaving in a cab with last night, courtesy of Konoha Examiner.</p><p> </p><p>“Sasuke, what would you recommend?” Orochimaru directs over Kakashi’s shoulder towards the angsty business major behind him. </p><p> </p><p>Sasuke has been radiating a dark storm cloud of sulk ever since Kakashi flipped through his business proposal and said they didn’t have room in the budget for it, dropping it back in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>He sends their customer Orochimaru a dark look that any coffee shop proprietor other than Kakashi should have reprimanded him for.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m interested in what an award winning barista such as yourself has to say about the offerings of this little shop,” Orochimaru adds, and Kakashi watches with resignation as Sasuke puffs up a little at that. </p><p> </p><p>Kakashi doesn’t understand what the hell industry competitions had to do with anything, and Sasuke was eternally bitter that it seemed no one in the shop cared about making a name in The Industry. Well to be fair, if not for the fact that Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had been friends since they were practically all in diapers he probably wouldn’t have joined the shop when Kakashi decided to convert the joint near their university, nor stayed the past three years. </p><p> </p><p>Sasuke gives Orochimaru a detailed introduction to two of his recommended blends, one with notes of raspberry, chocolate, molasses, and the other some exotic thing Kakashi isn’t sure he approved the purchase of and honestly if he really thought about it, Sasuke was an asset to the shop in the sense that it gave the coffee snobs on campus something to come in for. </p><p> </p><p>You see, Kakashi liked the idea of coffee shops more than coffee shops themselves, per se. The idea of coffee shops meant sitting for long hours in a nice chair by the window, an outlet all to yourself, reading some smutty fanfiction on your laptop with your headphones on and one of those instagramable lattes on the table before you and maybe a nice french pastry. It meant being flirted with by the cute barista and being too embarrassed to do anything about it but picking up your to-go cup and finding that he’s written his number on it. </p><p> </p><p>The reality of coffee shops meant cleaning coffee stains and feeling sorry for the writer in the corner everyday who still thinks he’s going to sell a script and being nice to the gaggle of teenage girls who order more sugar than coffee and then take up all the seats and laugh too loud, and trying to process orders like half-caf oat milk mochaccinos with a dash of cinnamon hold the whip, whatever that meant. </p><p> </p><p>Still, Kakashi has some rather romantic ideas about coffee shops, because his first date with Gai was at a coffee shop, even though it had been nothing like his romantic notions of Coffee Shops (that he has his romance novels to thank for), but rather they’d stood in line for far too long and couldn’t find seats and ended up wandering the snowy downtown freezing their noses off. It was cute. There was a peppermint flavored first kiss. Kakashi thought fondly of it when he converted the hole in the wall restaurant property Jiraiya left him into a coffee shop. It wasn’t a bad idea, as far as business went either, because the shop (formerly a taco store, or something) was a stone’s throw from Konoha University and Kakashi knew kids Naruto’s age (though not Naruto, for some reason) were veritable coffee addicts. </p><p> </p><p>“Your talent is wasted on a dwindling establishment such as this,” Orochimaru tells Sasuke, as Kakashi rings up Orochimaru’s single origin aeropress coffee and wonders whether he can charge a special fee for industry competitors. Sasuke would appreciate that, right? He was acknowledging The Industry and all.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, hey, no poaching my adorable employees, you old creep,” Kakashi says without any heat. </p><p> </p><p>The corners of Orochimaru’s mouth curls up, and Kakashi regrets saying anything at all.</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, I was going to wait until next week to announce this, but I am in fact venturing into dine-in retail. Yes, Kakashi, don’t look so surprised that I’m stepping out of my lab to do business with the common folk. I purchased the old gelato place at the end of the block and we’ll convert it into a state of the art cafe as a prototype for our nationwide endeavor,” Orochimaru says. “Maybe I’ll be in touch, Sasuke, I expect we will be open by March.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hn.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi waits until Orochimaru’s out of the store to peer over his shoulder at Sasuke.</p><p> </p><p>“You know, you take coffee way too seriously,” he says.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe you don’t take coffee seriously enough.”</p><p> </p><p>Admittedly, the Uchihas did have a family owned chain of organic grocery shops, and they’d branched off into branded products, and took a really hard hit when the coffee line tanked after a two-year bubble. They had to close half their stores.</p><p> </p><p>But that was a really weird chip to have on your shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“Just because your brother left the family business to launch a tea start up doesn’t mean you have to tackle coffee, full throttle,” Kakashi says.</p><p> </p><p>“Hn.”</p><p> </p><p>“Verbose as usual, I see.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>
  
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gaara nods in greeting to the security guard at the front of the main science college building and the guard nods back, buzzing him in even though both of them know he isn’t a student on this campus.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He makes his way to the Advanced Robotic lab, same as every day, and enters unannounced, taking a seat at one of the tables to watch the grad students who’ve already trickled in for their late morning start (or, alternatively, never left) enthuse over some contraption. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re really into it, and it sounds like it might be a while, so Gaara pulls out his own laptop to do some coursework as he waits.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yo, Gaara. Thanks.” Kankuro sets his robot arm down on the table and picks up the coffee instead, gulping it down even though it must have cooled some by now. Of course - a thermos - Gaara should procure one for next time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, any luck?” Kankuro asks, nudging him in the arm with his elbow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“With what?” Gaara asks. He knows what’s coming, but he can pretend not to. Kankuro levels him a look that Gaara really doesn’t like. A I’m-about-to-make-fun-of-my-little-brother look. Awful. But this is partly what the coffee is for. He’s in a good mood and won’t make too big of a scene for entertainment purposes. Probably.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look, it’s not that I’m not happy about getting a free coffee delivery every morning bro, but are you ever going to ask him out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara mulishly keeps his eyes on his laptop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not allowed to accept dates while he’s working.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you can’t, what, ask him out after he leaves the shop? Wait until after his shift?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is slow to answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to seem like a stalker.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s a little late for that…” Kankuro jokes, and he ruffles his little brother’s hair when he glares. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know you could also just...not order a coffee, right? You drink tea, most cafes sell tea. Or like. Get a bagel.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It has to be coffee.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are so fucking weird.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>THREE MONTHS AGO</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is walking on campus, looking for Kankuro’s school building when he hears the happy humming</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a blonde carrying two coffees turning the corner and Gaara vaguely notices him out of his periphery but otherwise ignores him as he heads toward Gaara’s way -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That is, until he trips - and splashes the contents of both to-go cups all over Gaara’s chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It scalds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“aHHHHH!!!!!!!” Naruto yells - and Gaara wants to ask why he’s the one screaming when </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gaara </span>
  </em>
  <span>just had hot coffee spilled on him but he’s distracted for a moment by eyes that are </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> blue they should be illegal and-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry!!!” the blonde says, dabbing at Gaara’s shirt with his own T-shirt, which does absolutely nothing to help and possibly makes things worse. He looks like he’s about to cry. He’s definitely crying.  “I got coffee all over you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love coffee.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The scalding evidently short circuited Gaara’s brain. He does not love coffee, and has even less reason to right now, except coffee is why this blonde boy is standing so close. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Re-really?” he sniffs, and procures squashed napkins from his pockets, trying and doing little better to un-coffee Gaara’s shirt. “I work at a coffee shop, it’s wh-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Holy shit - Gaara!” Kankuro runs up to him, pulls him by the arm, leading him toward the building entrance and lab. “What the hell, man? Geez, okay, use our lab shower and I’m sure I can scrounge up a punny t-shirt for you from someone holy hell are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>EIGHT MONTHS AGO</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is on a campus tour, and it is incredibly dull. He’s seen the campus before; his family gave the university a rather large endowment once, and there is a building named after his mother. His older sister Temari attended, dutifully, and Kankuro did not but he will in the fall, for the graduate robotics program. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara has already insisted that he does not want the campus experience. He is happy to do the requisite coursework necessary to cover the general credit requirements, but he wants to do so independently. He wants as much autonomy as possible, and space and time to reacquaint himself with his own mind, and avoid the cacophony of the general public. Having just spent the better part of the year in a hospital, he is unused to this level of human interaction, and would not prefer it. So what if months of near isolation left him with a numbing loneliness he now thinks is normal? The risk of venturing into the unknown and </span>
  <em>
    <span>speaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> to people again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>strangers</span>
  </em>
  <span> at that, and even answering questions about himself - it’s enough to send him packing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara plops down on the next bench they pass, mentally and emotionally exhausted as the rest of the group goes on without him. Good. Hopefully they won’t notice for a bit longer. Hopefully they won’t notice at all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s great, isn’t it? College life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara nearly flinches out of his skin. He turns to see what a tremendous mistake he’s made: the bench was not unoccupied. Several feet away, on the other end of the bench, is a blonde about his age, whose eyes are closed as he basks in the sunlight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There are so many people,” Gaara mutters in an exhale. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Un. All these people, working alongside each other to reach their goals. It’s kind of awesome, isn’t it? Life isn’t life without other people, and dreams! And it’s amazing there’s such a place where everyone around you is working towards their dream as well, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goals? Dreams? Gaara looks at his hands, and turns around such foreign seeming ideas in his head. Does he have such things? He thinks the other boy is mistakenly optimistic in his view of the world, but there’s a grain of wisdom there, wrapped up in cotton candy coating. Life isn’t life without other people. He’s learned that the hard way. Bonds are what keep us human. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before he can respond, he looks up to see the other boy jumping up to give chase, running down the paved walkway after another student. Gaara should probably get back to his tour group anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AHH! SASUKE! I WAITED 20 MINUTES FOR YOU, YOU JERK, THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS WALK WITH ME.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Gaara really be like "I dug this hole, I'm going to die in it" aslkdjalsjda (thankfully he has kankuro there to DRAG HIM OUT)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Whooo do you think would win in a fight? Princess Tsunade? Or….Temari Sabaku, heir to the Suna Tech empire?” Naruto asks absently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Sakura leans over to look at what Naruto is reading. “What are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who would win in a fight?” he asks again. It’s one of those trashy tabloid magazines Kakashi likes to read. Sakura sets her broom aside and grabs it out of his hands, flipping through it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Princess Tsunade, hands down,” Sakura says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me,” Sasuke says, not looking up from the cash register count.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah. But she’s like, super old, right?” Naruto says thoughtfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look at those arm muscles,” Sakura says, brandishing the feature story page. “And she is not </span>
  <em>
    <span>old.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She’s in her </span>
  <em>
    <span>prime.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm. Ok. What about...this buff old dude versus Gai?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘Buff old dude’??? That’s the Cloud Country prime minister, Naruto.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay but what’s he doing in this trashy news mag? Scandal?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...possible love child.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think Gai would win.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai, definitely. He has like eight black belts,” Sakura agrees. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto points to Sasuke dramatically, with a challenging look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke versus Gai! Who would win in a fight!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai.” Sakura snorts. “Hands down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“.....Gai,” Sasuke agrees.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know why he only wears those ugly green yoga pants,” he says a minute later, as if the idea of losing a hypothetical-only fight enrages him to no end and he must claim reparations.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, my brother probably told him it made his butt look good in them once or something,” Naruto says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, he definitely does it for practical reasons,” Sakura says, finishing up the sweeping. She does a half-hearted imitation of the triathlete’s enthusiastic baritone. “The moisture wicking! Breathability! My young friends, this is the best butt support one can buy!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But why FOREST GREEN,” Sasuke seethes, unable to let it go. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi understands, intellectually, that he is only in his thirties. But emotionally he is Old. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not senior-level old, but on the upper limits of middle age, perhaps. He muses on this as he settles into bed with a nice paperback in a warm robe with a nice cup of herbal tea on the nightstand. But not old in that tired, frumpy way, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>old fashioned</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Gai liked to say Kakashi was hip and happening but if Kakashi had to pick a retro vibe he wanted Golden Era Hollywood rather than the ‘80s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>These are important musings as he settles in for his favorite part of his evening routine, which is finishing the next chapter of his book as Gai comes out of the en suite, freshly showered and wearing nothing but a small forest green towel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai gives him a winning smile when he notices Kakashi’s eyes on him, and it somehow never fails to make him feel warm and reflexively smile back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The entire evening was old hat - things they’d done nearly every single day together, day in and day out. And Kakashi drew a lot of comfort from that routine. He quickly finishes up the last few pages as Gai putters around the room, getting ready for bed as well. Kakashi could come up with an itemized list of the 100 steps they take before going to bed, he knows it so well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He loves this script, he really does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai smiles again before he turns off the light, leaving only the little lamp on the nightstand on Kakashi’s side. “Goodnight, Kakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He loves Gai, he really does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi bookmarks his page, sets the book down, shrugs off the robe, and turns off his lamp. He shuffles down and pulls up the covers to his nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know we’ve been... living together for a while. It feels really familiar.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes we have, Kakashi, my eternal rival. It is isn’t it? It was not the first time we bunked together.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No there was….camp of all things.” And then coincidentally meeting on a backpacking trip and arriving at the same hostel. Then the army. Then rooming together for convenience. By comparison, dating while they lived apart felt a little strange. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm. It’s been what, two years now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Two wonderful years, Kakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And I’d like it to go on for more, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As do I!” If Gai finds it a strange conversation to have side by side under the covers, eyes closed and ready for sleep, he doesn’t show it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By more I mean like, forever, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course! That is what eternal means, rival. You are my man of destiny, and that is for forever.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So I mean, let’s get married? Ah wait, what is it supposed to be - will you marry me? That’s it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai doesn’t say anything, and there’s silence for a beat. Then the lights turn back on, and Gai is sitting up in bed, staring at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, did you just propose to me in your sleep?” he demands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Kakashi cracks an eye open, then shuffles up into a half-sitting slump. “No um, I mean yes, I’m proposing, but I’m not asleep.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai is only in his boxers, though Kakashi didn’t think he’d mind, really. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean, you don’t have to answer now,” Kakashi says, because it seems like the customary thing to say, but he didn’t think this would take much consideration, actually. “We can sleep on it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi blinks, and finds Gai crying rivers of manly tears into his forearm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I will marry you!” Kakashi catches Gai launching himself forward for an embrace, and can’t help but smile against his - tear-y - cheek. The proclamations go on for a while, Kakashi returning them in less enthusiastic a tone but no less enthusiastic in true feeling, before Gai pulls back and grabs some tissues to blow his nose loudly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There was never any question of my answer,” he clarifies, and Kakashi thinks ah, of course, they were on the same wavelength after all. “It’s just, we never talked about formalities, so I was a bit surprised.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah. Yes, I understand,” Kakashi says, pulling the comforter up once more. He turns on his side to watch Gai, and wait for him to lie back down so Kakashi can snuggle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t think you would voluntarily choose a path that required additional paperwork ha ha ha!” Urk - Kakashi hadn’t thought of that. “But I just suppose that shows how much you love me, hm?” Well, he could chalk it up to that. It was definitely that, if he had a penchant for honesty. Gai was worth any amount of paperwork. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Though,” Gai says with a frown, “for someone who reads so many romance novels, I would have thought you’d take advantage of the occasion for something of that ilk.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah! You’re right - what a wasted chance..! Well, maybe I’ll just surprise you with a follow up later,” Kakashi says, stifling a yawn. He might, but he likely wouldn’t. Ah, but Gai might. Gai definitely, likely would.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Gai would absolutely beat Sasuke in a fight and I think Sasuke knows this</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh, these are perfect,” Sakura says, taking the paper-wrapped bunches of flowers from Ino, their local florist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mm-hm. Winter crocuses and aconite,” Ino says, naming the sunny yellow and light purple blooms. “Makes you forget the dreary, dirty snow clogging the streets outside.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> what we need to brighten the place up,” Sakura agrees. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto (amused) and Sasuke (unamused) watch as their childhood friend Sakura gushes over flowers and flirts at length with Ino, the fit, crunchy, blond florist and proprietor of that trendy-hipster-industrial flower shop/plant nursery that wasn’t too far from their own store. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura had burst into the store one day, bouquet in hand, in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>best </span>
  </em>
  <span>mood the two of them had ever seen her in, and the following week onwards, an order of flowers arrived the beginning of every week - bringing with them the hot blond florist.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do we need </span>
  <em>
    <span>flowers</span>
  </em>
  <span> for, we’re a cafe. People come in to smell the coffee, not flowers,” Sasuke snipes, still salty about not getting his bid for a new espresso machine approved. He was sure if they cut unnecessary items from the budget - like </span>
  <em>
    <span>flowers</span>
  </em>
  <span> - they could afford it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s about atmosphere!” Sakura insists.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So get fake ones! Then you won’t have to change them all the time!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s a difference! Customers can tell!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not about the </span>
  <em>
    <span>flowers</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Sasuke,” Naruto hisses, none too quietly, “it’s about the </span>
  <em>
    <span>love.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hah??”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sakura is in love with the pretty florist!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Love is an unnecessary business expenditure!!”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i love comments and questions!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t understand, my fate for this is set in stone, it has been since the day I was born into this wretched family.” There is a long-haired customer vehemently disagreeing with Naruto as Naruto rings up his coffee order.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey you’re in early - what’s going on?” Sakura steps out from the cafe’s back room, apron found, and greets Kakashi, surprised to see him in the morning. She nods her head toward the disagreeable customer that’s popped up since her short absence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mm, it’s possible he’s just cranky from lack of caffeine because you haven’t made his order yet,” Kakashi says, earning himself a truly formidable scowl. “Joking, joking. Something about family business, inheritance, et cetera, et cetera.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura quickly prepares the red eye for the grumpy, long-haired coffee addict and slides it over to Naruto to hand over to the man. And that’s when she notices the tenor of the conversation has entirely changed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right, Naruto, I can’t thank you enough,” he says before he’s even had a sip of coffee. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto beams at him, all sunshine and rainbows, and hands over his to-go cup. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t thank me, Neji! It was all you - you changed your mindset, and that changed everything, you know!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I would have never become this version of myself if not for you, Naruto,” Neji says earnestly, taking his coffee and stuffing a bill into the tip jar. “I’m in your debt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hahaha, don’t be silly!” Naruto says, waving to his departing new fan. “Come again soon!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will, you can count on it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura turns to Kakashi with an expression bordering disbelief and resignation. “Typical Tuesday, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know, right?” Kakashi says. “I wonder if we should charge extra for Naruto-style therapy…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ha. We'd finally be able to afford that machine Sasuke wants so badly," Sakura says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They like to joke about Naruto’s popularity, but when the shop first opened and Kakashi saw the Naruto effect in full force and what that did to the customers, he’d been worried - for Naruto’s sake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t just that people liked him, some regulars straight up fell head-over-heels for Naruto, who was really surprisingly innocent. And while that may have created a lot of buzz and made the coffee shop a popular spot, random customers professing their love while ordering a latte and asking Naruto out while paying for their cold brews on a daily basis was wearing him out. Naruto liked to be liked - he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> good at rejecting people. And frankly, it was inappropriate. The shop hadn’t even been open for a month, and Kakashi realized he needed to do something to stop this trend in its tracks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hence the giant lettering on chalkboard, right below the menu: NO ASKING THE CASHIER OUT ON A DATE, NO PROFESSING YOUR UNDYING LOVE (to any employee).<br/>
</span>
  <span>We WILL ask you to leave. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kakashi is trying to defend the virtue of his pure pure bby bro</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I KNOW Kakashi has MORE DOGS but THEIR APARTMENT ISN’T BIG ENOUGH so five for now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“What if….instead of a wedding party….we had dogs,” Kakashi says, seamlessly dropping backwards into a King Pigeon Pose. Saturdays usually meant morning couples yoga, instead of brunch like normal people, because this was Gai they were talking about. Yoga always made Kakashi think of dogs. Because of the poses. That, and the fact that he and Gai were the proud dads of five wonderful, beautiful dogs, all of whom were sunbathing beside the yoga mats.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A wonderful idea, Kakashi!” Gai manages to adjust his Scorpion pose to flash him a thumbs up. “Pakkun, Bull, Bisuke, Akino, and Guruko are treasured members of our family and will absolutely attend the ceremony!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thinks about it, pausing a moment. “However, I would like to invite my student, Lee.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes of course. He’s family too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After Gai left the army, he'd gotten into triathlons, and talking about training for triathlons, and Kakashi hadn’t realized that people were </span>
  <em>
    <span>listening</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Gai talking about triathlons but somehow between one week and the next he became a </span>
  <em>
    <span>famous</span>
  </em>
  <span> podcaster, and that somehow turned into public speaking, a book, his 15 minutes of fame, and now he had more or less settled down, opening his own gym in town.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lee was one of Gai’s very first listeners. Once a promising track athlete, a freak incident put him in the hospital where doctors told him he’d never walk without a limp again. The excessively long, 3 hour podcast episodes helped him push his way through rehab, and two years later, Lee met Gai at the starting line of a marathon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their crying, smiling happy faces at the finish line are immortalized in a photo Kakashi put up on the fridge (held up by a Pakkun magnet). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ah. Speaking of family - Team Seven. He hasn’t told them yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi knew, in theory, that getting married was a big deal. In fact, the vast majority of the Icha Icha series either began or ended with weddings. There was something very romantic about declaring your vows, et cetera. It’s just that. He and Gai more or less already did that, every day. He truly didn’t think much would change. Aside from the actual wedding itself, and the...taxes? Married life with Gai would be strikingly similar to unmarried life with Gai, and so the utter happiness Kakashi felt about their engagement did not strike him as unusual, and prompt him to share the source of this new-ness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mm. I guess, sooner or later, in order to have a wedding, we’ll have to plan it, hm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turns to Gai, and sees his flush-faced, blinding smile - and well, maybe getting married is special after all, if it makes Gai look like that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura wrinkles her nose at her- what was Kakashi anyway? Technically her boss. One-time martial arts instructor (he’s an incredibly half-hearted teacher). Brother (step brother?) to one of her closest friends? Though Naruto was more like family than a friend; he was like her brother. She didn’t rib her friends the way she bullied Naruto. Or Sasuke, really. At least, that’s what Sakura’s decided. She is an only child, of immigrants whose own siblings and family are a continent away, unlike both Naruto and Sasuke who have older siblings and extended family members. So she’s just guessing here.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, hell, Kakashi was family too. Even if he was an embarrassment, flaunting his trashy tabloids at their customers when Sakura had worked so hard to make the cafe look </span>
  <em>
    <span>cool.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And welcoming. A place that would actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>attract</span>
  </em>
  <span> customers, not scare them away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least it was an upgrade from those smut (“it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>romance!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he’d protested) novels he used to be glued to until the three of them unilaterally </span>
  <em>
    <span>banned</span>
  </em>
  <span> Kakashi from reading them in the shop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except it wasn’t celebrity gossip he was reading today. It was -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that a bridal magazine?” Sakura asks, tentatively, because um, creepy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well would you look at that. I guess it is,” Kakashi says, flipping to the cover as if he hadn’t bought the magazine himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? What?” Naruto is next to arrive, pulling his apron on as he comes through the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, just Kakashi being a weirdo again,” Sakura tells him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did a customer leave that?” Naruto asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He should tell them, Kakashi figured, and he supposed this was as good a time as any.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I’d heard these were required reading if you were going to throw a wedding…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura stares, unamused, while Naruto has a blank look on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, you don’t mean…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a long, silent moment as comprehension dawns, slowly. A line of customers start to huff and sigh impatiently as Kakashi’s two adorable employees stare at him, eyes widening, because they can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> believe the conclusion they’ve come to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All of this is interrupted by the back door slamming open and Sasuke backing into the coffee-making area, large box of paper cups in his arms. He drops the thing on a counter and turns around to look at his team, eyes passing over the magazine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, are you and Gai finally getting married? Congratulations,” Sasuke says, curt as usual. "I told you it would make your taxes easier."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AHHH you’re GETTING MARRIED,” Naruto yells, as Sakura near simultaneously shrieks “CONGRATULATIONS” and “HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL US YOU GOT ENGAGED!”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?” Naruto shouts over her, while Sakura starts spewing wedding planning advice. “And leave ALL the flower arrangements to me, I will get you the best arrangements, I swear.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah..thank you…” He gives up fielding questions. “Well we haven’t set a date yet, it will probably be small. A family thing, you know? You three are all invited of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His response is met with a blubbering Naruto who plasters himself to Kakashi in a big, overtight hug. “KAKASHI, I’m so HAPPY FOR YOU!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Naruto.” The hug is soon joined by Sakura, who, though blushing with embarrassment over Naruto’s easy display of emotions, is also very moved and happy for her sort-of-brother-by-association. “Congratulations!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Sakura.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The hugging and crying goes on for another moment, before the three of them turn to Sasuke, who had up until then been watching the hubbub fondly. He flushes, backing up against the fridge. “What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” He doesn’t want to join a four person hug! They’re crying! Naruto’s snot is on Kakashi’s apron!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasukeeeee,” Naruto wheedles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasukeee,” Sakura insists.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you want to congratulate me on my engagement?” Kakashi asks him shamelessly, like a shameless bastard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was the FIRST one to congratulate you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasukeeee,” Naruto insists. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“FINE.” He stomps over, puts his arms out, encircles the three loveable dummies, and squeezes. Hug accomplished, Sasuke immediately drops his arms and backs back up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To his great embarrassment, the shop bursts into applause.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sasukeeeeee</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just because Naruto doesn’t want a fancy business degree like Sasuke does doesn’t mean he’s doesn’t have an entrepreneurial streak a mile wide</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So,” Kakashi says, walking into the team meeting 37 minutes late, reading from a small stack of papers in hand with some trepidation. “Inexplicably, our sales have gone up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So?” Sasuke asks, moving closer to try to read the papers Kakashi is holding. “Let me see that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I say ‘gone up,’ but they’ve...kind of doubled.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hah???” Sakura angles to get a better look too, elbowing Naruto on the windpipe as he tries to squeeze in too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ow- let me see!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Digital? Merchandise?” Sakura asks, confused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘Inexplicably,’ my ass!” Naruto snatches the bank statements out of Kakashi’s hands after a brief, half-hearted tug of war on Sasuke’s part. “These are from the website! I told you I was setting it up last month! These are the online sales.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“People...buy coffee online?” Kakashi wonders. Did they have an app?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Beans! See? The cute froggie logo I designed for the light blend? And Mr. Ukki for Sasuke’s Super Roast, you know!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t call it super roast,” Sasuke says with a scowl, scrolling through the (admittedly well designed) Team Seven website on his phone. “It’s the Fireball.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke’s Super Roast sells better, I had it ad tested, believe it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto, you did all this?” Sakura asks, and honestly, Kakashi was wondering the same. “Ahh! The Sakura Special label is adorable!!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! I mean, what do you guys think I do all day when you go to class?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi. You just thought something really mean, didn’t you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“OI. HAVE SOME FAITH IN ME YOU GUYYS.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, well, I’m really impressed, Naruto,” Kakashi says. “Maybe it’s time for me to retire....”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sales aren’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> good yet! Ehehe. Well, it was me </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> my intern Konohamaru.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Intern?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve met him! He helps watch the dogs after school sometimes!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“....the 10 year old?” Kakashi thinks, vaguely remembering a brown haired child in the neighborhood.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s in eighth grade </span>
  <em>
    <span>at least</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ne, Naruto, you know what this wedding means,” Sakura says with a grin in her tone as they clean up during the midday lull.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto blinks, before breaking out in a big smile. “Yeah! Now Gai will be my brother-in-law!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura smacks him upside the head. “That, and you’ll need a wedding date! A wedding date.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHY do you keep hitting me. Sakura. Sakura really.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura ignores Naruto’s weepy plea and leans back against the counter with a wicked smile that she turns his way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well?” she asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well what.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s your plan to ask </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gaara</span>
  </em>
  <span> to accompany you so you don’t have to sit all by your lonesome and have no one to dance with at your own brother’s wedding?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh- I- what!” Naruto scrubs his hand through his hair and gives up trying to address </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the rude accusations thrown his way in favor of defending his favorite redhead. “I can’t ask him to a WEDDING for our first date.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>First date. </span>
  </em>
  <span>God, he was blushing just saying that out loud.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure you can, you two have basically had like,” Sakura thinks, pretending to count on her fingers. “100 coffee dates if you count the flirting every morning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t COUNT that, of course that doesn’t count!!” Naruto pouts. “If we’d been dating we’d know everything about each other and I don’t even know what CLASSES he’s taking.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura side eyes him for a moment, then pulls Kakashi’s laptop over to a clear spot on the counter and flips it over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, let’s do this. Google no jutsu!” She types away, as Naruto refuses to look at the screen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Suna family’s youngest child...so he’s like. A trust fund baby,” Sakura says. “Hm. Promising, promising.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto chews on his lip, brows furrowed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh. He was in a mental hospital.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay STOP don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>tell</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, I don’t want to know unless he </span>
  <em>
    <span>tells</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, this feels like an invasion of privacy already,” he says, covering his ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura closes the browser without protest, admittedly curious for curiosity’s sake, but more or less agreeing with Naruto.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <span>“Okay, okay,” she says. “You’re right. But I’m right too - ask him out! And do it soon, otherwise the wedding </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> be your first chance to go on a date in </span>
  <em>
    <span>forever, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and we both know you don’t want to date anyone but Gaara.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>meet SHUKAKU</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Naruto takes a right turn instead of left on his way back after his shift, meandering since he has some free time, and it turns out to be possibly the best decision he’s made today because he nearly bumps into Gaara on the sidewalk and he’s not even holding spillable things this time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gaara!” He manages to salvage his expression of dumbfounded shock into a happy smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Naruto. Hello.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His earlier conversation with Sakura echoes in his mind and Naruto musters up the resolve to blurt out, “Do you want to get a cup of ramen with me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, well, maybe some wires got crossed, but A for effort. He nearly said cup of coffee just from reflex before realizing what a dumb thing that would be. Gaara had already had his coffee this morning and Naruto didn’t particularly want to go back into a coffee shop after having just ended a shift at one. And ramen was his go to bonding activity because, well, who doesn’t love ramen?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except, mid-afternoon was perhaps a bit late for lunch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara blinks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I would like to, but I have a prior appointment.” Every inch of Naruto looks crestfallen. Perhaps - he really wanted to spend time with Gaara. “I am heading to the animal shelter on 7th Street. I help walk the dogs sometimes.” He hesitates briefly. “Would you like to come?” The self-doubt sets in. “Ah. But you were going to lunch-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I would love to walk dogs with you!” Naruto gives him that wide grin that Gaara was so fond of, and a little laugh. Gaara marvels at how easily happy emotions seem to come to him. In a moment, Naruto is at Gaara’s side, falling in step. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gaara, do you love animals?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I...don’t know. I suppose. I ended up in the shelter by chance, a few months ago, but then I met Shukaku there and the poor thing looked so lonely by himself. It’s a crowded shelter, you see, and they have trouble managing everyone they take in, even though they don’t want to turn anyone away. I thought Shukaku would benefit from having some time to play - in the park.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He glances curiously at Naruto, who seems to happily be remembering something. He wants to ask - but. He doesn’t. And why is he blushing?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gaara, you’re really kind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Is it kindness? He doesn’t know how to respond.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shukaku turns out to be a mean looking, roundish lump of a mutt with crazy yellow eyes and sharp, sharp fangs. He growls at Naruto on sight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This - this is Shukaku?” Naruto asks nervously. He’s not afraid of dogs, Kakashi’s had several for as long as Naruto’s known him. He is greeted by five slobbering beasts every afternoon when he heads over to Kakashi’s to check in on them, and Bull is truly a massive creature. But the thing is, he’s not entirely sure Shukaku is a dog. He might be part wolf. He might be part chupacabra. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara greets the tall, orange-haired man at the front of shelter. “Hello, Jugo. Can I take Shukaku for a walk? I think we’ll stop by the park before we come back. How is Kimimaro?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good to see you Gaara, go ahead, you know you’re welcome anytime. He’s doing better, thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s a relief. Please send him my best. Ah, this is m- Naruto. He’s going to come with us today.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto turns around to greet Jugo with a smile. “I’m Naruto Uzumaki! Nice to meet you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jugo, likewise. If Gaara vouches for you, it should be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll see you in a bit then,” Gaara says, crouching to open Shukaku’s cage. Naruto watches with keen interest as Gaara gently pets the top of Shukaku’s head - he growls, but lightly, almost a begrudging purr, if he were to read into it - without getting his hand bitten off. He attaches the leash to the dog’s collar without any trouble too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Shukaku. Would you like to go for a walk today?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Grrrr.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My brother has five dogs,” Naruto says as they head to the park. Shukaku sets their pace, which alternates between senior-citizen-with-a-walker and mad-dash-to-beat-the-crosswalk-countdown. “But I’ve never seen a dog that looked quite like Shukaku.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, he’s a funny creature, isn’t he?” Gaara says, with the smallest of fond smiles playing on his lips. Naruto can’t help but feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>incredibly moved</span>
  </em>
  <span> at how cute Gaara is. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He is! And he seems to really like you, you know!” Naruto says, and it occurs to him he could say the same for himself. They turn the corner and the park comes into view, which sets Shukaku off into a barking fit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shukaku, it’s not polite to make a ruckus.” Responding barks come from somewhere within the park itself. “I see, you wanted to say hello to your friends.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto is a little surprised that Shukaku has friends, and he’s about to say as much, but then Shukaku stops at the edge of the park’s lawn and growls lowly at his ‘friend,’ who snarls right back from where he is tied to the fence on the opposite side of the lawn. “Um. Are they really friends?” Naruto asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara tilts his head, considering, as they watch the other dog. “I suppose ‘acquaintances’ is more accurate. That dog’s owner occasionally needs to leave him here while he runs errands nearby. Shukaku doesn’t actually like to get too close to other dogs, but they always greet each other from afar.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘Greet each other’, huh?” Naruto repeats, wondering if Gaara is somehow a ridiculously optimistic person. “Ah, do you think he would want to meet my brother’s dogs? Kakashi has five. There’s Bull, who’s a really big guy, even bigger than you, Shukaku! And Pakkun, who is the tiniest, but he calls the shots, he’s the oldest and he’s the boss of the rest of them. Then there’s Bisuke, who is kind of picky about who and what she spends time with but she’s really a sweetheart, and Akino loves </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Guruko loves anyone who gives her treats! They could have a playdate!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is still taken aback by Naruto’s easy and open friendliness, no matter how many times Naruto shows this is his default. “Your brother Kakashi...runs the coffee shop right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!  Our gramps Jiraiya left him the deed to the store - I was surprised at anyone when he wanted to open a coffee shop, but then again, Kakashi is a romantic,” Naruto tells him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you have siblings too?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do, a sister and a brother. I’m the youngest of three,” Gaara tells him. “My sister Temari is eight years my senior and my brother Kankuro is six years. There’s a bit of a...gap in our ages, so I didn’t exactly grow up close with them, but we’re all really good friends now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara looks at the ground instead of his new friend as he recalls the sadder memories, but he doesn’t bring them up. He’s thankful for the way his relationship with his siblings has changed over time. When he looks up again, Naruto’s smile is...surprisingly understanding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s great that you all get along now,” he says. “I met Kakashi the day I was born, apparently, ha, though I don’t remember that at all. He was here and there a lot when I was growing up, but we’re family, bonds don’t go away just because we’re far apart. Ah but the person who knows him best and has been with him the longest has to be Gai.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! His b- I guess, fiance?! Ah he’s getting married, they just got engaged!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Congratulations are in order.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ehehe. I’ll tell him. He’ll be really happy. Though honestly, it feels like they’ve been married for years. Kakashi acts so old, like really, really old, but I guess it balances out Gai always talking about the passionate fires of youth, and the two of them are an old married couple, I swear, you’ll agree with me too, after seeing them for just five minutes. Do you want to come over to Kakashi’s for dinner sometime? Then you’ll get to meet all the dogs </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gai!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto, you really have a lively family, don’t you?” Gaara says, trying to keep up with the flood of information. Belatedly, he realizes there was a dinner invitation in there somewhere. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He manages to keep his composure as the two of them trade numbers and talk about their families while Shukaku enjoys the fresh air, fights a trash can, and paces back and forth with an air of importance in front of the elderly citizens doing their radio calinsthetics like some sort of drill sergeant. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time passes quickly, and before they realize they have to take Shukaku back to the shelter. Shukaku makes his great displeasure at being rushed known, and stops to gnaw on Naruto’s shoes as they try to lead him out of the park.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they approach the shelter, an awkward silence falls for the first time. Naruto isn’t sure what to say, and Gaara isn’t quite ready for them to part ways. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re saved by the sound of Naruto’s stomach growling at a truly impressive volume.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara blinks, then laughs, to Naruto’s great consternation for about half a second - “Do you want to go get ramen after all?” Gaara asks.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<span>“Yes! Let’s do it! I know the </span>
  <em>
    <span>best</span>
  </em>
  <span> place, Gaara, I’ll take you to Ichiraku’s!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>finALLY</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>naruto is a pure cinnamon roll</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>The impromptu ramen date ends all too quickly and it seems like Gaara needs to leave so Naruto makes him promise, </span>
  <em>
    <span>promise</span>
  </em>
  <span> to come over to Kakashi’s for dinner eventually and to meet the dogs, before they finally go their separate ways.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto’s apartment is small, but it’s downtown close to the school where Sakura and Sasuke are and close to the shop and there is always something to do around here so he likes it well enough. Still, he doesn’t usually come home to this dark little space in </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> good a mood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“YES!!” He may or may not dance a little once he shuts the door behind him as he kicks off his shoes. That was </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> a date, and Gaara had agreed to a second date! Naruto might try to hold his hand next time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And they might - k- ki….</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can’t say it. His face burns when he tries to picture it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you kiss him?” Sakura asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eh?” Naruto flushes </span>
  <em>
    <span>red</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but it doesn’t wipe away the private smile he’s been wearing all morning. In fact, Naruto’s been on cloud nine all shift, practically radiating a bubble of innocent first love, and quite a few customers have left in a daze just from being in his presence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That - that’s private!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmmm, you totally did! You can’t just say ‘I finally went out with Gaara!’ and then not give me any details!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto had managed to evade Sakura’s nosy questions all morning what with the endless customers and all, but now the shop is quiet and there is no way he is getting out of this. And give in he does - Naruto pulls up a stool and takes a seat and puts his face in his hands with that silly dreamy goofy look of his. Sakura waits.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ne, Sakura, did you know? Gaara really likes dogs.” “Uh-huh.” “And he’s really kind, he volunteers at the local shelter every week.” “Yes, and?” “And we went to my favorite ramen place too and he loves Ichiraku!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is not at all the kind of information Sakura is asking for, but really Naruto’s demeanor kind of says it all. She can’t help but smile too, and sip her lavender latte, and bask in the sort of supercharged happy vibes Naruto is giving off just like all their customers have been today. And who knows, she tells herself, she just might find some inspiration.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thursday is Sakura’s day off, they all have their days off on a weekday, because weekends are big days for coffee shop traffic. And luckily for her, Thursday is when Ino heads up the front of her flower shop, Clover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Sakura rejoices at the fact that she’ll be able to show her face while wearing </span>
  <em>
    <span>not the cafe apron</span>
  </em>
  <span> and then laments that it is still winter and basically anything she chooses to wear would be covered up by her winter coat anyway. No cute off-shoulder sundresses in this weather. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sakura, hey! What’s up?” Ino’s in </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> work apron today, walking around the shop casually tending to the potted plants that sell so well to people just passing by. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, it’s my day off and I was thinking of getting something green to spruce up place, I don’t want to have saved up to move off campus only to feel like I’m still living in a dorm, you know?” Sakura looks around the shop, and admires a six-foot tall potted plant which would look fabulous right outside the kitchen. “And it’s so cozy here, I love it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ino gives her a wry smile. “You and everyone else in this college town - and don’t worry, the front is filled with easy to care for plants, almost everything you see here only needs minimal maintenance. And we’ve got the air plants and succulents that are so darn trendy right now, because they’re small and cute and practically need nothing from you at all, but let me guess, you want something a bit more substantial?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura points to the tall, leafy thing that caught her eye. “That one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That?” Ino stands up from her slouch by the register. “Haha! Well that certainly is homey. It’s a snake plant, and it’ll be fine even if you forget to water it for a month. Do you ne-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ino finds the custom care instruction card that they’d made for every plant in the shop, and stops in the middle of asking Sakura whether she needs to arrange delivery as she sees the tiny pink-haired girl straight up deadlift the bulky planter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um. Will - do you want to take it home with you today? I think Kiba’s out back with his bike, he could totally-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, this is fine! We can get to know each other better on the way, right planty? And I’m not that far.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ino blinks. “Right, well, I’ll just ring you up then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you have aloe, too? I’m thinking of getting an aloe plant.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah totally, here we have a couple of them to the left here, see.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm - alright! I’ll come get one of these next time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura sets the her snake plant down, and fiddles with the pen on the counter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Also, my boss is getting married.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he’s practically like family to me, and he’s kind of hopeless at anything even semi-formal, so I offered to help him plan his wedding.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, tell him congratulations.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks. So I was thinking, do you guys do flower arrangements for events? Because the bouquets we’ve been getting for the shop are just great, and you have </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span> taste, and-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura blinks, looking at the pamphlet Ino slides across the counter under her nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Oh that’s great.” She fiddles with that too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We most definitely do events. And you can tell me all about that over lunch.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura looks up immediately, eyes wide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Or is this not your roundabout way of trying to ask me out?” Ino says with a not-quite-smirk smile that looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> good on her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In for a penny, in for a pound. “I am definitely trying to ask you out,” Sakura agrees. She pauses. “You don’t have anything against...dating clients or something or other?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> wedding is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, no.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think we’ll be fine then.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I really only had a few definite plot points I wanted to hit (ex Kakashi and Gai do yoga with the dogs, Naruto unsuccessfully flirting with Gaara buying coffee, and Sasuke's upcoming BETRAYAL) but this fic has really just spontaneously written itself in many ways hence the many cameos (SHUKAKU! Jugo!) and many more to come (Pain?????? Should run a bakery. A punny bakery. I just thought of that) and hell if there are some you want to see throw em at me just don't be mad if their modern au counterpart is a Dork</p><p>(and tHANK YOU GUYS for the comments; ive laughed, ive smiled, and they totally make this fic so much more fun to write)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>TenTen runs the coolest gym in town, and possibly the world, and this isn't just her opinion, it's what the premier travel/lifestyle magazine of the time has written in their lengthy review, which TenTen is totally going to frame and hang on the wall, as soon as Lee gets back with the nails that they both could have sworn was somewhere in the office (singular. despite the apparent coolness they still presently had rather limited square footage) cabinet. They were not in the cabinet. Lee had run to the hardware shop next to the florist just two blocks over. TenTen loved the city, so different from her rural hometown where you most definitely had extra nails hanging around but you had to hop in a truck and drive 20 minutes minimum to get anywhere, including your closest neighbor's. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which wasn't the point, the point was that weird business decisions slash pacts made at 3 am after drunken celebrations with your childhood best friend and the motivational guru he introduced you to and the sort of rival to both you and your childhood friend, somehow, were apparently </span>
  <em>
    <span>really good</span>
  </em>
  <span> decisions, or at least they were, when you had a team as good and they did.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Might! (exclamation mark included) Gym owed its success indubitably to their crazy ideas and even crazier enthusiasm. Lee worked harder than anyone TenTen knew, Gai was a sheer force of nature as a beacon of positivity, and the two of them set the tone for what the gym stood for. Limitless possibilities, optimistic pursuit of untapped human potential, and living your best and fittest self.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TenTen's part was dreaming up the classes. From barre to hiit to tractor wheel flipping, she had an uncanny knack for picking up and hitting on trends and having their videos just go viral. Gai was a brilliant part of the puzzle here sometimes (the over the top enthusiasm and devotion of soul cycle was practically </span>
  <em>
    <span>made</span>
  </em>
  <span> for Gai). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then there was their silent partner, who for legal reasons they couldn't name, because he was doing this for personal reasons but had hella shady obligations to his family business that got in the way of him having anything like a fruitful personal life. Though he's looked a lot happier recently, around the same time he started drinking coffee…….</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Neither Gai nor Lee would touch the stuff, instead swearing by some god awful herbal stuff. TenTen had no qualms about espresso, in many various forms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ironically, Gai's fiance owns a coffee shop. TenTen half suspects it is because he is an asshole.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It's going to be a good year, TenTen decides. Things were doing well enough at the gym that they'd drawn up plans to franchise and had already interviewed many promising (extra enthusiastic) candidates (including another Maito Gai podcast devotee down in Sand County), and this extra promotion that had just fallen into their laps by the way of good press was only going to make things so much better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I've got the nails!!!" Lee announced triumphantly at the door. "As promised, it took no more than 10 minutes!! Nearly eight of which were spent queued in line."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thanks Lee." TenTen held out her hand at the front desk, framed article and hammer at the ready. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Where'd Gai go?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hm? Oh he got a text, and had to leave. Something about Kakashi getting sick, you know how he is. A cold's enough to render him bedridden, the seasonal flu's got to be hell."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I will make you some soup in the meantime," Naruto says confidently from Kakashi's bedside. Kakashi assumes this means he will make him some cup ramen and not begrudge him for not eating the noodle (which honestly he'd probably just as soon puke back up). Why, when there is such inventions as canned and dry instant soup, Kakashi doesn't know.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You don't have to stay," Kakashi croaks. He is currently propped up by all the pillows Naruto could find, under a duvet and surrounded by dogs. Pakkun sat on Kakashi's stomach and barked occasional orders at Naruto (ha). It's not particularly that he wants to die alone, and technically Naruto and Gai have insane immune systems that seem to strike fear in the hearts of viruses so he never had to worry about infecting them, but he is half out of his mind and doesn't exactly need company.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You can't die and leave Gai a widower at his age, you old man!!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ah, he said that out loud, did he. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"He is the same age as me," Kakashi mumbles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He'd texted Naruto to help fetch him the painkillers that morning and recieved a "??????" response, which thankfully included Naruto visiting in person shortly thereafter anyway because by then Kakashi had dropped his phone behind the bed and decided to collapse somewhere between the bed and the bathroom where the pills were. For all he knew he merely had allergies. He didn't much care for proper terminology of his illness, given the migraine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hmm, I'll tell you a happy story then, since you get downright depressing when you're sick."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi has not the energy to retort, so he closes his eyes and reaches out blindly to pat Guruko and scratch behind her ears instead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I went on a date! With Gaara! Yesterday!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...Kakashi opens one eye to peek at Naruto at that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No dating customers," he says, watching Naruto's expressions. He certainly looks happy,  but…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"He wasn't a customer! At the time. I ran into him after work," Naruto says with the triumphant air of someone who has bested their older sibling with a loophole. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I disapprove. He looks like he has an attitude."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto doesn't rise to the bait.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"He was on his way to the shelter, and we spent like half the time walking this old dog."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi revises everything he thought of Gaara, which admittedly wasn't much. He was shy. Polite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I changed my mind, any friend of dogs is a friend of mine," Kakashi says. Pakkun adds his agreement, and licks Naruto's hand, accepting a pat on the head from a rather smug Naruto.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I invited him over to meet Pakkun and his team," Naruto adds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't you mean 'to meet my wonderful big brother who I look up to so much, and his dogs'?" Kakashi tries to say, though it ends in a wheeze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto dating wasn't the end of the world, necessarily. The extra happy bubble his cute little brother existed in right now was a good thing, technically, and a ray of sunshine like Naruto deserved love and all of the good things to come his way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It's just. Naruto gave his heart so easily. And it wasn't always properly appreciated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And even when it was, things didn't always work out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi wasn't entirely kidding when he said Naruto was innocent, despite one (that he knew of) previous relationship, Naruto didn't have all that experience with romance and Kakashi had dark thoughts about whether it was because he never experienced being the child of living married parents and instead spent the majority of his life being carted around the world by his (probably a spy) nomad of a godfather. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was one of those trips where Naruto had a summer romance, which would have been normal and healthy enough, heartbreak included, but of course this was Naruto he was talking about, and the girl was the Hyuga princess, a precious heir of a powerful family akin to modern day Medicis, who would not have approved had they found out. They were teens in crazy, crazy love with a faulty escape plan and when Jiraiya uprooted them again Naruto was heartbroken. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a normal, healthy teenage sort of heartbreak, because apparently they'd agreed to do something long distance, until a few months of no contact later, one failed flight attempt from Naruto later, he got a long weepy tearstained love letter explaining they needed to break up and then he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> heartbroken. He shouldn't have taken for granted that the optimistic, sunny boy his foster parents had created would always stay that way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was only human.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was scary.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was better equipped to help, the second time Naruto grieved, when they both lost Jiraiya.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Gaara was…..Gaara was steadfast enough, from what little he had seen of him. Nothing like the girlish, blushing princess, really. He was the embodiment of stoicism. Kakashi can't exactly say Naruto has a type. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Though, maybe, if one looked beneath the surface, both of these people Naruto had been so romantically attracted to shared that shadow of loneliness and grief that clung to them from their pasts without defining their futures. It was easy to have expectations of Naruto, unfair ones, Kakashi guessed, in a relationship, and he hoped he was right in that the people Naruto chose were ones who could truly understand him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"NARUTO! How is Kakashi, I came as soon as you texted," Gai announced at the front door, much as Naruto had when he came by earlier. This is patently untrue, Kakashi can hear the bags of groceries all the way from the bedroom, which he can only assume are for the extra extra hot and spicy concoction Gai will feed him to help clear his sinuses.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Still alive! I fed him soup!" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Kakashi," Gai says, hands on his hips as Kakashi gives him a little wave from his pile of blankets, "I knew that sniffle this morning wasn't a normal sniffle."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I was fine then." Anyway he wouldn't have had time, probably, to get it checked out like Gai advised anyway</span>
  <b>. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Never fear! I am here now, and my super  secret extra extra hot and spicy vitamin rich recipe will defeat your virus with the power of nutrition! You will be back on your feet in fighting condition in no time," Gai promises with a winning smile and thumbs up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Be still my beating heart," Kakashi says, smiles, and closes his eyes as Gai leaves for the kitchen. He'd take a nap, or something, untroubled, knowing Gai would be there when he woke up. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fitness/lifestyle online mags will write stuff like<br/>Gym CEO to Marry Masked Boyfriend<br/>or<br/>5 Things We Know About Motivational Life Coach Maito Gai's Soon-to-Be Husband</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning for more sad (at the beginning, which you can skip if canon Kakashi backstory level sad is too much for you). I couldn’t bring myself to kill off Rin and Obito but like. Idk that this is actually better, relationship wise, at this point anyway. Kakashi just be like that sometimes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi spent his week of winter cold watching wedding-themed reality television (and drinking really spicy soup) and his one takeaway was that this puppies as bouquets thing was really cute but none of his cohort would stand for it. Although they (Bull and Akino at least) seemed to enjoy the episodes that included the family pets. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Truth be told, replacing the wedding party with their dogs had been an off-handed joke, at first, but now Kakashi was realizing this was a real trend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Guess I’m not the only sad sack estranged from friends and family, hm?” he asks with a facetious smile, to a Pakkun who looks distinctly unamused in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yeah, that was the thing, it was kind of a depressing trend, the atomization of individuals, the weakened bonds of family across society. For Kakashi’s part, it was the friends he was estranged from. The only people closer than blood on this planet were ones he had not spoken to in years. Rin and Obito….well, one was in a coma, and the other had said in no uncertain terms he never wanted to see his face again, and wouldn’t stand for him visiting Rin. Kakashi had tried to keep tabs on them in the beginning, but eventually it got too much, and he could admit he was scared at the prospect of crossing paths again, not knowing what he would find. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He and Gai had mutual friends, from the service and thereabouts, though honestly while Gai would consider them friends as well as comrades in arms, Kakashi respected the hell out of them as comrades as well but thought of them more as colleagues. Possibly drinking buddies. Work friends weren’t really who you wanted to invite to something like a wedding, even if second cousins twice removed were okay, because that’s what wedding was about, family. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And his family? His family was dead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Besides Naruto.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...and now Gai.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, hell, Naruto’s little friends were like younger cousins of a sort, and Gai’s proteges were almost like in-laws, so if he really stretched it he could pretend he had extended family too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It hits him, that this is what this wedding really means. Marriage isn’t just about forever, it’s family. Gai will be his family, and this wedding means making that vow before the powers that be, et cetera. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi wonders whether he should find that at all intimidating. He doesn’t. If anything, he wants to do it sooner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello? Gai? Now a good time? Mm. Yeah. How do you feel about February 1?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Half a week later, all recovered, venue booked, guest list decided, and paperwork filed, Kakashi passes three envelopes out to each of his staff. He’d considered mailing them, but then remembered he knew for a fact Naruto checked his apartment building mail box quarterly, and figured this was safer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s this?” Sasuke asks, frowning at the Hallmark size of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Open it,” Kakashi answers. He didn’t even seal them, for god’s sake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiles at their expressions as they do. This is why he decided to go with paper save-the-dates, rather than digital invites. What was better than opening a card to find Bull and Pakkun pop out at you? Ha.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re getting married!!!!” Naruto cheers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Psh. We </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew that already,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sasuke says. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now it’s for realllll!” Naruto sings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“February...of this year?” Sakura asks, aghast. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s...really soon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh but it’ll be a small thing, just a few people. Gai’s inviting Lee and TenTen right now of course, and it’s possible we’ll have another head or two but really it was always meant to be a very private thing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura looks contemplative for a moment, then she nods.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright! For your wedding gift, I’ll help you plan it - decorations, scheduling, and so on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That would...actually be a lifesaver, Sakura, thank you. I was about to take you up on those flowers and everything, haha.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto comes into the shop the next afternoon, knowing Kakashi wouldn’t be in, uncharacteristically mopey.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lee and TenTen already have a gift planned!” he says, taking a seat while Sasuke and Sakura continue to work around him. “And it’s a really nice gift too! They’re getting them an onsen trip for right after the wedding since they </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> they would put it off for a few months otherwise! I didn’t even think of something like that!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura glances over at Naruto. “Could it be….you have no idea what to get them? At all? Really, Naruto?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You offered to organize things! That’s cheating! You organize for fun!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura looks not in the least bit offended. “And I’m gonna do a damn good job of it, too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke set his finished espresso down next to Sakura and looks off into middle distance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They already live together, so I can’t them any boring appliances like normal weddings. I have like five blenders ready because my family is ridiculous and there is always some cousin or the other who is getting married.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s so…” Sakura makes a face, grasping for diplomacy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Unromantic,” Naruto finishes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s practical,” Sasuke says with a nod. “Anyway, I’m getting them house cleaning services with a company I can personally vouch for, redeemable at the dates of their choosing, though I’ve made the decision to schedule the first session right before they come back from the onsen trip, so DON’T mess it up before they return, Naruto.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHY WOULD I!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi and Gai are very neat, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, sir, are a slob,” Sasuke says, wiping down the milk frother and grinding another cup of beans. “You’re going to housesit and watch the dogs, aren’t you? And then you’ll probably try to make them curry and spill it on the couch.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto gives Sasuke a very unimpressed look, because he can only get riled up so many times a day. Sasuke isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>nearly</span>
  </em>
  <span> as </span>
  <em>
    <span>funny</span>
  </em>
  <span> as he thinks he is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You guys are bullies and no help,” he says with a sniff, jumping off the stool and throwing his backpack back over his shoulder. “I’m going to ask someone </span>
  <em>
    <span>else.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who are you even going to ask? Your 8-year-old intern?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He means Gaara,” Sakura tells Sasuke, with a smirk in Naruto’s direction. Naruto sticks his tongue out at her as he leaves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Honestly, though, he hadn’t planned on asking Gaara. Naruto sticks his hands in his pocket and meanders down the street, window-shopping for inspiration. He’s not sure there is anyone he can ask who knows his brother better than he does. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto pouts, and fishes the save-the-date/invitation (efficient) out of his pocket. “What am I going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He unfolds it and smooths it out and gives it a look just as flat as Bull’s expression - and inspiration dawns.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Ohhhh?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He digs his phone out of his other pocket with his other hand and dials.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sakura!! I need your help.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Someone should gift kakashi an Icha Icha book where the protag and love interest names are swapped out for kakashi and gai</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>After the last two sad chapters I decided the tone had gone off the rails and determined to write a non-sad chapter next and ended up writing EVEN MORE SAD so I tabled that to work on a different fic but now we're back on schedule. I want to introduce more chars but we've got to get to the wedding first!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Orochimaru comes into the store half past two in the afternoon, dawdles and dallies and finally orders a double espresso and watches Sasuke make it with an amused expression before accepting it as he simultaneously gives Team 7's well loved machine a backhanded compliment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke hands it over and wonders whether Orochimaru knew Kakashi would be out of the store this day, this time, busy picking up wedding rings for his upcoming nuptials.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two don't exactly have a rivalry, but sometimes Orochimaru drops by to give Kakashi backhanded compliments and validates Sasuke's need to be seen as a serious barista and sometimes Sasuke wishes Kakashi would do anything but flat out ignore the man. Take his advice or something, even.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah yes, I had another motive for coming here today, I admit."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hn." No shit. It better be more than to insult Froggy, which honestly Sasuke had complaints about too, but Naruto was right when he said it had character, and, well, he's the only one allowed to insult their "antique."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The retail location I mentioned opening, it looks like we'll make our goal after all: First week of March." He says this like it's supposed to mean something. Sasuke just stares. Then he supposes Orochimaru is supposed to be a customer after all, and Sasuke should be polite. God, he has no idea how Naruto does this day in and day out, including to the squabbling group of high school girls that came in Saturdays. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>smiled</span>
  </em>
  <span> at them and everything.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Sasuke says, putting in the great effort of acknowledging the customer. "Maybe I will stop by." This was like pulling teeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, I was hoping you'd do more than stop by," Orochimaru says. "I was hoping you would come work for me."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And why would I do that?" Sasuke says with a snort, because his automatic response to </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything,</span>
  </em>
  <span> really, is to be catty. But there is a part of his brain, somewhere in the back of his mind going. Oh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ohhh.</span>
  </em>
  <span> So that was why- etc. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Really, he should have caught on earlier.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, I should think such an innovative approach to coffee would appeal to a forward thinking barista such as yourself." Did Orochimaru mention innovations? He wasn't really listening. "My research assistant Kabuto has modified an Oji machine to bring out the most interesting notes in a cold brew. You two would be working closely together, I presume. He handles the sourcing of beans, often going straight to the source. Are you amenable to traveling for work?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An- Oji cold brew? Sasuke can admit he's intrigued, and it must show on his face given the pleased expression Orochimaru is making. He hands Sasuke his card and leaves, just a minute before Kakashi returns. It's incredibly suspicious, but also incredibly intriguing. "Hebi," the shop is called. Hm.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everything I know about coffee is from a conversation with the Blue Bottle founder years ago in which I very embarrassingly asked whether their bizarre contraption was a drip machine. Google Oji coffee if you haven't seen it before, coffee snobs are wild</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gaara is unhurriedly working on his latest software project, reclined on his sectional sofa that Kankuro had someone pick out for his apartment---he balked at it the first time he walked into the furnished space because it is much too big, so much so that the scale of it makes Gaara feel like he is somehow a hobbit-sized person when he is really a very average sized human being. But the giant thing is comfortable, so it got to stay. Plus, it was perfect for lounging on when he and Naruto were doing different things but were loath to detach from each other. So Gaara had to re-rate Kankuro’s decision; it was very prescient after all.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh the Konoha Botanical Garden is open, even though it’s winter?” Naruto has his head pillowed on Gaara’s thigh as he peruses a travel guide of some sort; possibly a Kankuro relic as well. Gaara’s brother had also taken the liberty of signing him up for a Cheese of the Month club as well as a meal prep service, and Gaara is not sure whether his brother is trying to look out for him or making fun of him. Possibly both. </p><p> </p><p>“Do you want to go? It’s closed Mondays...we can go next weekend!”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure.” Gaara smiles and glances down at Naruto, who is engrossed in his travel guide, before his expression turns to alarm, and he sits up with a jolt, nearly braining Gaara in the process.</p><p> </p><p>“AHHH,” he shouts. “Next weekend is Kakashi’s wedding!!”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto counts on his fingers, taking stock of perhaps something like a mental to-do list. He grabs his phone and scrolls through his inbox, calendar, memo, and seems to be satisfied that all necessary tasks have been taken care of, setting the phone back down with a breath of relief. Then he turns to Gaara with an apologetic face. </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry!” He clasps Gaara’s hands in his own. “It’s a very, very small gathering! Like a, tiny private family only thing, because Kakashi doesn’t like spectacles, unless they’re not about him, and a wedding is as about him as you can get. That’s the only reason I didn’t invite you!”</p><p> </p><p>Gaara blinks. “Of course. I completely understand. I hope it’s a wonderful event you can enjoy with your family.”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto’s eyes do that shiny thing where he looks incredibly moved, and then he smiles like some kind of starburst and Gaara has to fight not to blink at the brightness. He doesn’t want to close his eyes when Naruto looks like that anyway. He’s not sure why Naruto likes spending time with him so much, but the last thing he would do is complain. </p><p> </p><p>“And I want you to meet them soon too!” Naruto says. “Since we’re dating and all.”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto stops, and blinks, and seems to realize they haven’t exactly said much about it. Gaara realizes he will have to find a good time to introduce him to his siblings as well. Kankuro will be easy just because of his proximity, but Temari is very, very busy. </p><p> </p><p>“We are exclusive, right?” Naruto asks, wide-eyed. </p><p> </p><p>“Eh?” Gaara hadn’t even thought to consider it. They’d more or less fallen into spending time together two or three times a week and frankly Gaara doesn’t know anything about dating. So he certainly has no idea why Naruto looks away for a moment, before his face turns red almost entirely. He scratches the back of his head, then looks at Gaara again from the side. “D- will you be my boyfriend?”</p><p> </p><p>Oh. Gaara’s sure he’s the one who turns red this time. He nods.</p><p> </p><p>Speaking of family, Temari would be in town Friday. That meant their monthly sibling get-together, and if not a dinner, and it being Temari’s turn to pick, it would likely mean the spa. </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>“Spa” usually involves Gaara being buried in a big, stone tub of mud up to his neck, in a cool, dim stone room that is both grand and stark at the same time. Kind of like a mausoleum. Occasionally it also entails being covered in mud, then wrapped in seaweed. </p><p> </p><p>Gaara wonders if this is what Egyptian mummies felt like.</p><p> </p><p>These are things Temari fills out on big long cards that look like hotel breakfast menus, and Gaara is content to let her make the calls because this seems to please her, and honestly he doesn’t exactly have a <em> preference </em> for what bizarre treatment she picks, so long as it is not a full body massage, because he still has reservations about strangers touching so much of him.</p><p> </p><p>“Ugh, gross, no. I’m going to swim and sauna, you two can enjoy your dead sea mud baths or whatever,” Kankuro says, signing in at the front desk beside Temari before heading the opposite direction. Both of them are wearing sunglasses. Gaara stands a ways back, taking in their easy rapport. Kankuro lives in the city and attends the university so Gaara sees him often, but Kankuro also has a rather full schedule, what with his fellowship program and his volunteering at one of those organizations that teach kids STEM.</p><p> </p><p>Temari sticks her tongue out at him. “Fine, more time to spend with my favorite brother.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fuck off,” Kankuro says, because vulgarities come easy to him, Gaara has learned, though, that it is almost a language of its own. This one, for instance, sounds instead, like ‘hope you two have a good time.’ In his opinion, anyway.</p><p> </p><p>He waves to his brother and lets himself get dragged off by his sister to the spa-mausoleum to be buried in---it turns out to be warm, mineral-rich sand this time. Surprisingly soothing. She chatters away, and he listens, happy that she understands he genuinely likes to listen, without the pressure of needing to respond in kind. Temari has been COO almost a full year now, but everyone knows she is on the CEO track, and Gaara knows, but can’t begin to even picture, the kind of pressure she must be under. But for all the pressure, she seems to truly enjoy it. Temari likes having people look up to her, and in the recent years as the siblings have repaired their relationship Gaara’s learned he likes to look up to her. He is sorry for all the years they have missed out knowing each other.</p><p> </p><p>The three of them end up getting facials together after all, and Temari sends the staff out of the room while they lie in reclined chairs by what Gaara thinks is a lily pond, with fruit smoothies of some sort on their faces.  </p><p> </p><p>“I want a baby,” Temari begins, apropos of nothing.</p><p> </p><p>Kankuro tries to squint at her without getting fruit in his eye. Gaara has determinedly kept his at 15 percent open or thereabouts the entire time, and it seems to work alright. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you even seeing anyone?” Kankuro says.</p><p> </p><p>“You know I’m not.”</p><p> </p><p>“You could adopt,” Gaara suggests. The idea of Temari becoming a mother hasn't sunk in yet. He can't imagine.</p><p> </p><p>“Hmmmmm.” She considers it. “Certainly an option, though I will try the traditional route first. Why deprive the world of more of me, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“So, obviously I can’t date anyone who works for me,” she says, the beginnings of presenting her argument. “And I definitely don’t want to date anyone in the industry.”</p><p> </p><p>“Which is like, 99.9 percent of the people you ever meet,” Kankuro says, catching on. </p><p> </p><p>She shudders. “Ugh, can you imagine? Anyway, I definitely don’t want to bring work home.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do neither of you have anyone worth introducing me to?” Temari says, and Gaara startles, because he doesn’t know if that’s a joke or not. Kankuro laughs though, so maybe it is.</p><p> </p><p>“You know Chiyo-baa is always willing to set you up,” Kankuro says, still laughing.</p><p> </p><p>“God, no.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>so like. im more or less ambivalent toward shikatem as a ship so I'm toying with the idea of not going the shikatem route but idk idk yet. what i do know is that if temari wants a baby temari is going to get a baby</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Thanks, Sakura!” Naruto gives her a sunny grin as he wrangles Bisuke into a dog-sized suit jacket and tie. Bull is sitting patiently in his outfit, and Guruko and Akino are waiting to be dressed, but Pakkun seems to be picking a fight with his cumberbund. There’s no way Naruto would have been able to pull this off alone, getting Kakashi out of the house early enough, so as to keep it a surprise. </p><p> </p><p>Sakura strikes a pose, hands on hips. “That’s what they pay me the big bucks for,” she says. “Kakashi and Gai have been ferried off to City Hall. Gai is with Lee, who has opted to take the ‘scenic route’ with romantic commentary of the city, and Sasuke is going to drive like an old lady and, actually probably increase Kakashi’s anxiety by like a hundred percent. And then we will meet them there in time for the ceremony. The cafe’s all closed and the curtains drawn, catered luncheon and drinks ready to go for the little reception afterwards.”</p><p> </p><p>“And Konohamaru will film everything!” Naruto adds happily. Kakashi might be private, but he will <em> definitely </em> want pictures of his dogs dressed up for the ceremony and of him and Gai together on the big day, Naruto is sure of that.</p><p> </p><p>The civil service indeed proceeds quickly - quickly enough that no one has time to properly protest the party of five spiffily dressed dogs marching up the steps and into the government building. </p><p> </p><p>Pakkun hops on top of Bull to present the couple with rings on demand and the officiant is really quite wowed by the whole thing, really. Gai manages to literally sweep Kakashi off his feet in a dip-kiss combo, and then his booming laugh echoes the halls as he literally bride-carries Kakashi out the building with only minimal complaint.</p><p> </p><p>They haven’t even gotten to the reception yet, but Konohamaru is quite pleased with all the exciting footage he’s already got. </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The party is a boisterous one, the first moment of silence being when Gai stands and clears his throat, calling for quiet so he can make a speech. </p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi, my eternal rival, my man of destiny, I have known since the moment we laid eyes on each other that are fates would be intertwined, but no one could have imagined the fulfilling decades together that were to follow.”</p><p> </p><p>Sakura has her arm slung around Naruto, who has his arm slung around Sasuke, who has been making some very funny faces as he tries very hard not to look inappropriately sullen, but also to not look silly and embarrassed and kind of moved by the warm atmosphere and happy ongoings. </p><p> </p><p>“To Kakashi,” Gai says, raising his glass. “May we have many more such years to come.”</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke is jostled back and forth as everyone cheers, and - he certainly hasn’t had to suffer anything like this at his cousins’ weddings! Not since he was a small child with very pinchable cheeks anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi speaks next, giving a very poor speech, which everyone lets him get away with, because what he lacks in rhetoric he makes up for with rare vulnerability. He hems and haws and flounders along, and then tips his glass ever so slightly. </p><p> </p><p>“Gai, I wouldn’t be here today if not for you. I mean this when I say: you make me a better man,” Kakashi ends his toast, before promptly downing his bubbly out of view.</p><p> </p><p>Lee clinks his glass next and though he starts strong with a very enthusiastic toast, it devolves into youthful sobbing a few words in and TenTen pats him on the back for the effort anyway. Then Lee and Gai throw themselves at each other in a big hug and the tears increase tenfold. </p><p> </p><p>Naruto applauds gamely at Lee’s speech anyway, then hops to his feet to do his brotherly duty and embarrass Kakashi in front of his loved ones with gobs of love and affection.</p><p> </p><p>“I always knew the two of you were going to get married, so I really only have one thing to say: What took you so long?” That gets a few laughs, even from the Gai and Lee crying duo. </p><p> </p><p>“For as long as I’ve known Kakashi, I’ve known Gai. And I mean, that’s impressive, because have you met the guy?”</p><p> </p><p>After the laughter dies down, Naruto smiles again, but it’s a more subdued thing this time. “I’m really happy for you, Kakashi, I really am. You two never look more content than when you’re with each other.”</p><p> </p><p>“And that’s not just during the good times, but because you endure the bad times together to get to the good. Thanks for offering me family, Kakashi, when I had none, and thanks for joining that family today Gai, though really you’ve been part of it for a long while now. And thanks, Gai, for showing me how selfless love can be. That love is easy, but a relationship takes work, and for the people you love it’s worth all of that work. So, thanks for becoming my brother too, Gai.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke plays designated driver which means he gets the job of carting the tipsy newlyweds home. He knows for a fact that they’re packed and ready to go on their honeymoon because it was one of the items of Sakura’s list (extensive list <em> system, </em> really) and he had been placed in charge of those reminders. </p><p> </p><p>He also knows Kakashi is a lot less drunk than he appears to be, which is both good and bad, because Sasuke had been meaning to tell him all week but then he got so damn busy playing gofer helping Sakura with the damn wedding plans and <em> why </em> is he the only one of them with a <em> car, </em> they’re all <em> adults- </em></p><p> </p><p>And the point is, Sasuke has been mulling over Orochimaru’s job offer and after touring the facilities felt. Tempted. And then the more he thought about it the more he thought what a good career opportunity would be. He’d even get some fancy title after a 3 month period, like regional manager or something, they’re working it out in the contract. Plus <em> Kakashi </em> had been busy with wedding things and it wasn’t like he was around much either.</p><p> </p><p>But the timing was bad: Sasuke’s new job would begin days after Kakashi’s return from the honeymoon, which wouldn’t be enough time to give his two-week’s notice proper. He couldn’t have told Kakashi in the car <em> on the way </em> to City Hall, because he’d obviously had other thoughts on his mind.</p><p> </p><p>And it wasn’t like he <em> didn’t </em> have other things on his mind now, like probably pouring a very noodley Gai into bed, but it was now or never, Sasuke decided, and never would rather be a lot more awkward, if he just. You know. Disappeared one day. And appeared in another cafe.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi, I’m thinking about working for Orochimaru.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi fumbles with his keys, and Sasuke sighs and helps him get the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Well I say thinking about, but you know what I mean. I’m going to go work for him.”</p><p> </p><p>They’re standing in the doorway, Gai temporarily content to snooze on the coat rack.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can I ask why?” Kakashi says.</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke shrugs, but he finds he doesn’t have any trouble looking his employer in the eye.</p><p> </p><p>“Job experience. It’ll be good for my career.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi looks like he wants to sigh, but thankfully refrains from the patronizing gesture.</p><p> </p><p>“Sasuke, I say this as your mentor-”</p><p> </p><p>“When have you ever once mentored me in anything,” Sasuke says, not bitterly, just matter-of-factly, because he us incapable of letting these things lie, sometimes.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi thinks. It’s a long moment while he searches the nooks and crannies of his mind to no avail. </p><p> </p><p>“Okay, point. I say this as your - friend. Cool older brother figure. Employer.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hn.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes the bonds of friendship are worth more than your college years resume, you know?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, I don’t.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi sighs for real this time. </p><p> </p><p>“Okay, well, think about it,” he says, patting Sasuke on the shoulder on his way into the house. Sasuke hands him his keys. “Good night.”</p><p> </p><p>“Night,” Sasuke says. “And congratulations again.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks. Oh, and Sasuke?”</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p> </p><p>"Try to break things to the team...with better timing, alright?"</p><p> </p><p>"...hn." He was hoping Kakashi would do it.</p><p> </p><p>"Because I'm not doing<em> that</em> for you. Naruto will cry, you know?" Dammit, Kakashi's right. He totally would.</p><p> </p><p>“Have a good trip,” he says instead.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, Sasuke, we’ll bring you a souvenir.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>These two are friggen giving me cavities, I swear. I need to embarrass them next because that is what they deserve.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Part of Gaara’s looking after his well being includes getting lots of sun. Due to this fact, the curtains in his bedroom are light, gauzy things, and the window is really quite large. There is a nice view of the city, if you care about that sort of thing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As a result, he tends to wake early, along with the sun, regardless of how little sleep he got overnight. It’s better this way, being occasionally groggy during the day is much easier to live with than being unable to get out of bed at all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And the light and early rising means Gaara gets to enjoy seeing Naruto in his bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There is a pillow crease on his cheek and his mouth is open and there is drool on the bedspread under his face. It is a little bit funny and also a bit cute, but the marvel of it all is that even in his sleep, Naruto somehow looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy,</span>
  </em>
  <span> as if perhaps that is his default mode. Gaara can only look on in wonder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto has only stayed over a few times, and basically only by accident, the two of them having lost track of time and such. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which is to say, Naruto’s morning...issue, which Gaara is full aware of seeing as how Naruto is asleep half on top of him, is something that has happened before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Though perhaps Naruto is not aware of this, because his reaction as he blinks awake and realizes he is more or less plastered against Gaara, is to squeak and try to pull away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara locks his arms around him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t. You’re warm,” he commands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto </span>
  <em>
    <span>squirms</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Gaara narrows his eyes, because suddenly Naruto won’t look at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is a normal physical response,” Gaara says. He is also male. Naruto knows this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara frowns, as the thought occurs to him that Naruto is twitchy precisely because Naruto </span>
  <em>
    <span>doesn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks at Naruto questioningly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind,” he starts, but that just makes Naruto rear up in indignation: the opposite of what he wants, taking the warmth even further. Gaara misses the contact of his Naruto-shaped heated blanket already.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want our first time together to be special!!” Naruto sputters. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara lets his head roll to the side. All of the time that Gaara spends with Naruto is special, but he knows that's not what Naruto means and he doesn't want his very sincere feelings to come across as a quip besides, so he doesn't say anything. He nods instead, turning on his side and indulging himself by curling against Naruto once more, burying his face in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto nearly cries. “Gaara! You're not helping!!” Ah. He supposes that's true. But Naruto’s arms are around him too and he's not let go, so really Gaara has won here.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara stops Naruto before he leaves - to catch up with his friends, who’ve all got the day off since his brother’s left on honeymoon and they’ve decided to keep the shop closed another two days or so. Something about cleaning up streamers as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Naruto turns around, arms mid-way in his coat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto is only a smidge taller than Gaara so it takes no effort at all to press a kiss to his lips. Gaara doesn’t initiate touch often, Naruto is so tactile he hardly gets a chance anyway, but suddenly the idea of a goodbye kiss struck him as something he wanted to do.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t expect Naruto to scrunch up his face in that expression he’s finally recognized as him being </span>
  <em>
    <span>incredibly moved</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He squeezes Gaara in an overly tight hug he was not expecting. “Gosh you’re cute,” Naruto mumbles into his shoulder. “You’re really dangerous, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They have takeout at Gaara’s for dinner because it’s snowing outside and cozy inside Gaara’s apartment, and the two of them are going to hang out with Sakura and Sasuke tomorrow. In other words, Gaara is going to meet his friends. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Gaara listens to Naruto rant and rave about the many traits of Sasuke and Sakura, Gaara knows he’s let things go on too long, and it is getting out of hand. He has to let Naruto know, before this goes on any further.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto,” he says, interrupting him mid-sentence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have a confession to make.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay.” Gaara is often serious, but Naruto is taken aback by the seriousness of Gaara’s posture and tone. “What is this about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara takes a breath and bites the bullet. Naruto will forgive him, because that’s just who Naruto is. But what if he ends up liking Gaara less? He worries. Gaara doesn’t think he can stand the sight of Naruto losing interest in him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t love coffee.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a pin-drop silence for a beat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eh?” Okay, well, that wasn’t what Naruto expected at all, and definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> something that warrants that level of seriousness. “I don’t either?” Naruto says, because honestly it’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> uncommon to not love coffee.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara glances up at him. “You don’t think that’s weird considering I was coming into the coffee shop every morning…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AH now that you mention it…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unbelievable. Though it gives Gaara hope the second thing he has to say will be taken more lightly than he expected.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And that...crash wasn’t the first time we met,” Gaara says, brow furrowed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto blinks. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Roughly-” This is more complicated than he thought. Or well, he gave the idea of saying this so much thought he never gave much thought about which words to use. “About a year before that, no, a school year before that, we ran into each other.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can tell Naruto is trying to remember, and he probably won’t remember him, but that’s fine. The point is that he has known Naruto longer than Naruto’s known him, and he….honestly doesn’t know if that’s...creepy. Or so he’s heard. He’ll let Naruto decide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My dad had wanted me to tour the university; it’s the family’s alma mater. I didn’t want to go. I’d...gone through a rough period, before that, and wasn’t sure I wanted to be around so many people. But we happened to run into each other, and you said something that made me think I should...try.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto looks at him, still trying to remember. Gaara fiddles with his tableware.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think you’d remember. We were sitting on the same bench. You were waiting for Sasuke.” You looked so content with your life I wondered how you did it, and if it came as easily to you as it looked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara puts his spoon down so as to not fiddle with it anymore. Naruto has his chin in his hand and is giving this all way more serious thought than it deserves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that it? Hm. I really don’t remember! But you’re right, Sasuke is a jerk and makes people wait on him a lot, so that’s probably it. I’m really happy you’ll get to meet them tomorrow!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto smiles, and that’s that. Easy. The conversation moves on easily too, and all of the knotted memories tied up on Gaara’s heart, tied up with that event - the memory of speaking with his father afterwards, dealing with enrollment, relying on his sister as a shield to deal with father, relying on Kankuro to help orient in the city - all of that feels a little less constricting too. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>meet the friends next (and eventually meet the sand sibs) and then the DEFECTION WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR and lol I havent really read any sasuke-centric fics but the more I write him the funnier I find him and gosh remember genin days 12yo Sakura, who had a killer inner monologue that was the opposite of her outer character? I regret that we never got Sasuke's inner monologue because I am betting cash money here and now that it wouldve been h i l a r i o u s</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm p sure shinobi just don't do last names, which makes modern au suna nin chars a pain to introduce lol. Konoha at least have clan names which aren't the same thing either but are closer enough, especially as they phase out the clans as we can see in Boruto</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sasuke had planned to tell them he was leaving, and technically this would have been the perfect time (cleaning up after a wedding reception entailed a lot less being in the same room at the same time than he expected, what with needing to toss trash out and the kitchen being so far from the front of store- anyway.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But this get together was about meeting Gaara, and he didn’t want to be accused of making everything about himself AGAIN, so. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He didn’t mean to drop the news about his dad declaring bankruptcy on Naruto’s birthday, it just kind of came out. Or announcing his university early acceptance while Sakura was trying to tell them she liked girls. Or that his brother betrayed the family and went off to launch a startup when they were celebrating her acceptance into the university. Or that his family business was back when Kakashi was announcing he was opening a cafe. Stuff happens. Life happens. He doesn’t control the universe.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Plus, Sasuke is looking forward to grilling Gaara. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do we know about this guy anyway?” Sasuke says. He’s picked up Sakura from her place to drive over to some brunch place she picked out where he’ll probably have to shell out fourteen bucks for eggs. “He comes in five mornings a week, and buys the </span>
  <em>
    <span>boringest</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>
    <span>cheapest</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing on the menu, despite being a trust fund baby, and he definitely is one, because remember he and Naruto’d been shacked up for a week before Naruto came in wearing a designer scarf that Naruto most certainly does not even know is designer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura elbows him in the side and laughs at his plight while they walk together into the eatery.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So are you trying to say he has bad taste or that he has good taste? And what do you care that Naruto’s dating a rich kid?” she says with a wicked look of mischief before she gives the hostess their reservation. Then she turns back to Sasuke. “Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>jealous~?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just worried he is a corrupting influence,” Sasuke says, completely deadpan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura laughs to death and he has to support her weight as they make their way to their table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke snags two menus from a passing waiter as they take their seat, so he can decide what he wants while they’re waiting for Naruto and his </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It’ll give Sasuke more undivided time to inspect the guy once they do arrive.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto! Over here!” Sakura waves the pair over, standing attacking first to shake Gaara’s hand. Good. He’ll have to start on the back foot. “I’m Sakura! And I’m sure everything Naruto told you was a lie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you, Sakura, officially now. Naruto only said wonderful things about you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well in that case everything he said was true. I can’t believe you’ve been hogging him all to yourself, Naruto!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The smile on Naruto’s face is one of his more stupid looking ones. “That’s because I knew you guys would end up interrogating him!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto ends up sitting across from Sakura and next to Gaara, which places Gaara right in front of Sasuke. Perfect. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gaara Sabaku,” Sasuke starts, and Gaara looks up from the menu Sasuke is done with and has left on Gaara’s place setting. “Third heir to the Suna empire. I’ve heard nothing about you, because you and Naruto have been awfully secretive despite seeing each other for,” he checks his watch, “a month now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve heard about you, Sasuke Uchiha,” Gaara responds without missing a beat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto blanches briefly, seeing them stare off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is. Is this going to be okay?” he says out of the corner of his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura leans closer to stage whisper. “Do you think they’re going to duel for your hand?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shoots her a dirty look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except Naruto ends up eating his words when an hour and a half later, after they’ve finished apps and entrees and Gaara and Sasuke ended up ShAriNg a sLICe of PIE, and decided to stay and get coffees (tea for Gaara), they’re still conversing like they’re the only two at brunch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto looks on, expression of concern dawning on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is- is this going to be okay?” he says out of the corner of his mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura eyes them up. “Huh. Bonding over oppressive fathers and the pressures of the family business. I should have seen this coming.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s so good to have someone to talk about this to,” Sasuke continues, pausing to take a sip of his double espresso. “All I get are blank looks most of the time, because people don’t really understand unless they’ve lived it, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Gaara says, stirring his tea a bit. “I love my siblings, I really do, and I know it’s not their fault we get compared, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. I know how that feels.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto’s concern turns to something akin to horror as Sasuke and Gaara end up getting the bill for the table without a fuss and then standing up to walk out the door together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura puts her chin in her hand. “I wonder if Sasuke will fight you for him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wonder who would WIN.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not funny! Sakura!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So lol Sasuke has no intentions of making a move on Gaara, he is far too occupied with Career Ambitions to have time for such trivial things as romance. Naruto and Sakura chase after them only to find Gaara on the sidewalk waiting for them alone because Sasuke ditched him to go home without even saying goodbye to anyone at all cuz he is socially awkward/inconsiderate like that. <br/>I'm sad we didnt get more Sasuke-Gaara interactions in canon, particularly in Boruto (they seem like decent colleagues now??? I Can’t Tell) since the few they did have as kids in canon were INTENSE</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>omfg i think i have covid</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bull stares at Naruto.</p><p> </p><p>More precisely, he stares at Naruto’s hand, which he KNOWS is holding a raw steak, and he is inquiring loudly, with his eyes, about why the steak is on the counter and not in his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto stares back, mouth twisting into funny shapes, and it’s clear he’s going to lose the staring contest.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, yes I bought extras, okay! I’ve never cooked steaks before! So I figured I needed backups. And yes you can have it if I mess up!” Naruto explains. </p><p> </p><p>Bull stares. He does not want the burnt remains of Naruto’s cooking experiments. He wants the beautiful, juicy piece of meat that is currently sitting on a cutting board, poised for seasoning.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t LOOK at me like that!!”</p><p> </p><p>His comrades, though they fought well, may have been distracted by the treats Naruto brought them, but Bull is not. He is not even going to sit. He is going to stand for full effect and intimidation, until Naruto gives in.</p><p> </p><p>He can do this all day.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>In the end, Akino and Bisuke play tug of war with the tough piece of subpar steak and Bull sulks with his head on his paws and ignores Naruto for his sins.</p><p> </p><p>“Aw come on, can’t you be happy for me that the recipe turned out so well after just one test? Bull! Don’t be like that you know!” </p><p> </p><p>Naruto does not deserve Bull’s happiness. He shuffles ever so slightly so as to point his rump at him.</p><p> </p><p>Not that the boy even notices. The doorbell rings and he runs off to get it. If he had a tail it’d be wagging. Pakkun, as head of the house, trots off to answer it. It’s probably just the little camera-wielding boy.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>“Gaara!” The front door flies open to the sight of Naruto in an apron. Oh. When he said ‘come over to Kakashi’s! I’ll make you dinner!’ somehow Gaara hadn’t quite wrapped his head around an image so...domestic.</p><p> </p><p>Gaara’s apartment is not domestic. The ridiculous sofa has become a place of warm memories but it is still a ridiculous piece of furniture. His apartment is all glass and white walls and modern minimalism. Gaara suspects humans were not meant to thrive in such cold and unadorned habitats.</p><p> </p><p>His hypothesis seemed correct when he set foot in Naruto’s apartment for the first time. It was small; much smaller than Gaara’s place, but that also meant it was basically of human scale, for a person living alone. In Naruto’s apartment there are plants, and beloved knick knacks, and framed photos of loved ones, and a stray sandal on the floor missing its counterpart, and Gaara could tell - this is Naruto’s apartment. Gaara doesn’t think anyone could say that about his own place.</p><p> </p><p>Gaara lifts a hand, showing off the paper bag. </p><p> </p><p>“I brought dessert.”</p><p> </p><p>“Come in, come in!”</p><p> </p><p>He looks around; Gaara doesn’t think he could hide his curiosity if he tried.</p><p> </p><p>“I had thought the first time we invited you over it’d be for Gai’s extra spicy curry and you’d get to meet him and Kakashi but they won’t be back til next week! And I promised to cook! And their kitchen’s much bigger than mine and I’m looking after the dogs today so this is a great solution!” Naruto runs ahead of him to put down some salad tongs (?) and throw off his apron. Gaara lingers in the foyer, letting the small pug finish his thorough inspection of the newcomer.</p><p> </p><p>Gaara leans down a bit, so he can hold out his hand for the pug to sniff. He’s already sniffed the bag containing a berry crumble, and Gaara’s shoes, and walked circles around him looking him up and down.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s Pakkun!” Naruto says when he comes back and sees that Gaara has been granted the privilege of petting the pug on the head.</p><p> </p><p>“Pakkun, this is Gaara, you know! Shake hands, Pakkun!” Gaara holds out his hand in anticipation, and Pakkun places his little paw on it. It’s a very soft paw. </p><p> </p><p>“Nice to meet you too, Pakkun,” Gaara says. “I hear you’re in charge around here.”</p><p> </p><p>Pakkun snuffles in what Gaara thinks is agreement and walks off, evidently bored with him.</p><p> </p><p>“There’s four more of them,” Naruto says, impatient with excitement to show off his culinary success. He grabs Gaara by the shoulders and all but pushes him toward the dining room. They stop by the door to the kitchen, and points out the dogs.</p><p> </p><p>Guruko trots up to the stranger first, though she seems more interested in the bag of desserts than Gaara himself. Naruto snatches it out of her grasp and sets it up high.</p><p> </p><p>“Guruko’s a glutton,” he says. “Bull’s the one sulking in the corner.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why is he sulking?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because I cooked you a fancy dinner and he was upset it wasn’t for him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” Gaara makes a sad face in sympathy.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, don’t worry about him, they’ve all had their dinner. He’ll probably come over to say hi afterwards, once curiosity get the better of him and Pakkun tells him how polite you were.”</p><p> </p><p>“I see,” Gaara says, preoccupied with giving pats to two new dogs that have come up to greet him.</p><p> </p><p>“The Shiba is Akino and the funny lookin mutt is Bisuke,” Naruto says. Bisuke nips at Gaara’s ankles, and Naruto practically has to pull Gaara away from getting down on the floor and hugging as many dogs as he can at once.</p><p> </p><p>Gaara decides he likes it here; he likes Naruto’s family, and his friends, and his way of life.</p><p> </p><p>Dinner’s pretty good too.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gaara is the funniest when he’s half asleep, and Naruto bets Gaara doesn’t even know this. He has trouble sleeping, so he sleeps fewer hours a day than most people he knows, but that means every once in a while they’ll be watching a movie or doing their own thing on that big sofa of his, and Gaara will start to zone out, eyes sometimes drooping, sometimes not even that, and then he kind of acts like he’s sleep talking? Sleeping with his eyes open? It’s a thing, Naruto’s heard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto runs his fingers through Gaara’s hair absently, and Gaara makes a “hmph” response that alerts Naruto that perhaps Gaara is not all there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gaara?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Definitely dozing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto moves his hand to lightly run a finger over the red birthmark on Gaara’s forehead. At least, he thinks it’s a birthmark. It looks like one - he has a funny sun looking splotch on his own stomach - except Gaara’s is covered with scars, multiple little ones, and some look older than others.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is this a birthmark?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It kinda looks like a heart!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Had it since I was born.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto runs his finger over it again, and Gaara follows the movement with his eyes. Maybe Gaara will tell him when he’s awake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi returns on a Saturday and he’s honestly quite gratified that the shop hasn’t burnt down. He tried to spy on his three kiddos, of course, and they pretended they didn’t know what his schedule was and pretended not to see him in his sunglasses out the window. He knows this means they expect to be paid in full by the way of gossip and souvenirs when they all see each other again on Sunday.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai smiles knowingly as he slips back into the passenger seat and they head home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The house is noisy the moment Kakashi and Gai approach the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I missed you too! I missed you guys too!” Kakashi says as he finally gets his keys out. He unlocks the door and flings it open, and the dogs promptly rush to Gai who is holding all the luggage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see how it is.” Kakashi levels them all very unamused looks. They’re doing this on purpose, they must be.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hahaha! They know I’m the one holding all the snacks we brought back from the trip!” Gai says, admirably balancing the bags while leaning forward to give his welcoming committee pats on the head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose that’s true.” He closes the door behind them and locks up, as Gai sets the packages down, getting mobbed by the dogs. He watches the scene with a smile.  “Home sweet home, huh?” Pakkun barks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m back!” Kakashi pops into the shop from the back during the lazy hours of late afternoon Sunday, just hours before closing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!!!!” Naruto crushes him in an overly enthusiastic hug and Sakura smiles, snaps a picture, and then joins in with a squeeze herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back!” she says. “Did you have lotsa fun?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’s Gai? Did you bring us souvenirs?” Naruto asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back,” Sasuke says. Kakashi catches his eye and his expression is neutral. He wonders how Naruto and Sakura took the news of him leaving. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But nevermind that for now. Kakashi smiles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you really think I’d forget?” he asks. “Yes!” Naruto replies, and Sakura bonks him over the head. “He went on a </span>
  <em>
    <span>honeymoon, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he’s hardly required to think about you during the trip.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto rubs his head and sticks his tongue out at Sakura, victorious as Kakashi hands each of them a box of onsen manju. He’s not sure what the flavors are, he just picked mascots that reminded him of each of his adorable employees: Sasuke gets the cat, Sakura gets the fluffy bird of some sort, and Naruto’s is a fox.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you! Hehehe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Kakashi, you really didn’t have to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The enthusiasm over the gifts dies down soon enough, Naruto digging in immediately and wheedling his friends into trading too so that he could try them all. Sakura leans across the counter, face in her hands, and he can see she has her gossiping face on. All she and Naruto ever do in this darn shop is gossip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So? Was it </span>
  <em>
    <span>romantic?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She’s teasing him. Naruto catches on immediately and adopts a sing-song voice. “Oooh did the onsen trip rekindle your romance of, what is it now, 40 years? This was your 40th anniversary?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All I do is bring you children sweets and gifts and all you do is wound me. You make fun of my age, you make fun of the love of my life-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We would NEVER make fun of Gai!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai’s the coolest!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what am I, chopped liver?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few more guests come in over the course of the hour, and Naruto and Sakura are quick to tell them Kakashi’s just gotten married, so he fields more than one awkward ‘congratulations!’. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And maybe it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> the old age getting to him because he is soft, he is sentimental, and he had assumed that Sasuke was there, that all three of them were there on the same lazy second shift, because they knew he’d drop by and wanted to be around to welcome him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But no. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The worst thing is he doesn’t even realize, and he really should have realized. There were so many clues, such as how they were acting, and, well literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They get as far as closing, and Sakura mops while Naruto wipes down everything, and Sasuke goes to lock up the front door before standing there in the middle of the cafe, hands behind his back and not really looking at anyone in particular, about ready to make an anouncement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh no.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ahem.” Sasuke clears his throat. He does a weird shifty things. “Guys, today is my last day here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks up, very slowly, and takes in the confused expressions on Naruto and Sakura’s faces. Oh hell.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Naruto asks, too casually to have understood.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean, I turned in my resignation. I’m not going to work here anymore,” Sasuke says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura blinks. “You’re not going to part time anymore? Did you pick up more classes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. I’m going to work. Just not here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a moment of silence for that to sink in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? What do you mean?” Naruto asks, hopping over the counter to approach Sasuke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi buries his face in his hands. “You haven’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>told them?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That somehow makes it more real, a complete mistake, because now everyone turns to him as if he has an explanation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi! What’s Sasuke talking about!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to go work for Orochimaru at the new shop he’s opening. It’s at the end of the block, it’s not that far.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two loud, affronted gasps.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to work for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>rival coffee shop?”</span>
  </em>
  <span>  Kakashi looks up, surprised to see </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sakura</span>
  </em>
  <span> seething, eyes on fire, hands practically cracking the countertop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto has his hands on Sasuke’s collar, and he’s shaking the poor guy back and forth. He kind of deserves it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you tell us! Why are you going! Sasuke!!!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve contacted Sai,” Sasuke says, as if his two best friends aren’t yelling bloody murder at him. “You remember him, the runner up from when I won the barista award. He’ll start tomorrow second shift, but he’ll come in in the morning so you guys can train him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi lets his face fall onto the countertop. He was hoping Sasuke would tell them </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediately,</span>
  </em>
  <span> giving Sakura two weeks to screen for someone they were okay working with. Not throwing some random industry snob at them last minute! Though, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea, to hire someone from the Industry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A REPLACEMENT? YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST HIRE A </span>
  <em>
    <span>REPLACEMENT</span>
  </em>
  <span> WITHOUT ASKING ME?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m telling you now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Asking me!!! Is not the same thing!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“SASUKE WHY ARE YOU LEAVING. COME BACK! SASUKE I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU KNOW!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sasuke was adopted by his extrovert friends Naruto and Sakura at a young age and never learned to develop any social skills.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke arrives early to his new place of work for several reasons. First, he is fastidious about things like that. It’s the first day and he wants to make a good impression and establish dominance. Second, it decreases the chances of running into Naruto, or Sakura, because he really doesn’t want a repeat of yesterday’s fight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke looks around the shiny new storefront. It looks more or less the way he imagined it would finished, when he visited a few weeks ago and the property was still being set up. He helped pick the light fixtures, and he’s rather proud of that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He passes by the Oji machine and the pour over station to inspect the espresso machine, a custom-designed on shipped over from Italy that he’s gotten to know in the last week.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to accomplish great things together,” Sasuke tells it. He dismisses the random thought that pops up of putting a sticker on it too, for being first, unprofessional, and second, much too reminiscent of Naruto, who he is trying to get out from under the shadow of in the first place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He familiarizes his workspace and then soon enough, Kabuto enters with Karin and some other guy he’s never met.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s this clown?” Sasuke asks, immediately put off by his ridiculous state of dress, all 80s-workout style. It reminds him of Naruto’s horrific tracksuit phase for whatever reason. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anyway he hadn’t known he’d be working with </span>
  <em>
    <span>new people. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kabuto he already knows from a while back (officially, Orochimaru’s research assistant. Unofficially, his lackey) and Karin he met during orientation. Team Seven was unique in that Naruto has no coffee skills or knowledge to speak of but still worked there as a cashier (and main attraction) but at HEBI, every employee is supposed to be a competent barista. Sasuke rather thinks this bleached blond fellow would better fit into Lee’s gym. He’s even drinking out of a giant carry-around water bottle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is Suigetsu Hozuki,” Kabuto says with that really annoying smile of his (possible it is just his whole face that is annoying). “We do expect a good deal more traffic than you would have at….Team Seven. I won’t be spending most of my time in the shop, just dropping by and holding staff meetings. If all goes well we’ll bring on a fourth the end of the month.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And this is Sasuke Uchiha, who you’ll be working with alongside Karin,” Kabuto says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re pretty rude, arencha,” Suigetsu says, mouth twitching to hold in his laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke is tempted to ignore him. “I’m not here to make friends,” he says instead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suigetsu bursts into laughter. “Oh my god you’re like a reality tv character, you’re so </span>
  <em>
    <span>catty.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke scowls.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura and Naruto end up arriving at the shop at the same time, and, looking at each other, it sinks in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s really gone,” Sakura says, still baffled by the turn of events that completely slipped past her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto grits his teeth. “I can’t accept this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it doesn’t sit right with me either,” Sakura says, unlocking the back door and heading in, Naruto behind her. They set up for the day in relative silence, unsure what to do next about Sasuke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t Sasuke say he was sending his </span>
  <em>
    <span>replacement</span>
  </em>
  <span> in today?” Sakura says. “What do you think he’s like?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sai? Did you ever meet him at one of those events he likes to drag us to? I don’t think I remember the guy,” Naruto says, thinking. “Probably a coffee snob like Sasuke though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ugh.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moody distractedness lasts through opening, startling some of their regulars who’ve come to love the high energy atmosphere of Team Seven. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto, forgive my asking, but are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Neji, it’s just, our idiot friend left us to join another coffee shop. He’s a real jerk, but he’s our jerk, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That sucks. I know a guy in the Health Department if you’d like me to give him a call, alert him of somewhere that needs an inspection…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Haha that’s- wait, what? No um, I think this is best solved face to face, you know? Might come to blows but sometimes that’s the only way he listens!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, have it your way. Have a good day Naruto.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura isn’t much better, frankly. While Naruto bums out their customers up front, Sakura bangs around in the back, stomping around and grumbling angrily to the machinery. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By mid-morning, Kakashi’s come in for back up, but things aren’t much better. They’ve had enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going over there,” Naruto says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming with you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi! You can’t just leave your post mid-shift!” Kakashi says, imploring them to see reason to no avail. Sakura flings off her apron and Naruto doesn’t even bother with that much, and the two of them stomp out the door - the </span>
  <em>
    <span>front</span>
  </em>
  <span> door, at that - nearly knocking over a dark-haired, pale young man on their way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Sakura says brusquely, jogging to catch up with Naruto who’s quickly making his way to the cafe at the end of the block. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a bizarre sight to be sure - more than one Team Seven customer pokes their head out to watch. HEBI’s not so far that they can’t see the duo storm in from where they are.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, excuse me, you’re Kakashi Hatake, correct?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Kakashi looks up at the pale youth, as he finished a peppermint mocha -  aren’t these out of season? He’ll have to take it off the menu - and caps the cup and hands it to the customer. “Yes, hello.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m Sai, the barista Sasuke referred.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ah.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well. Perfect timing, I suppose.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“SASUKE!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto! We don’t have to make a scene! We just want to talk to him!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“SASUKE, FACE ME YOU COWARD!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The cafe door flies open and Sasuke sees the two people he most wanted to avoid today. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He ducks behind the row of pour overs and wonders if he avoids them they’ll go away. Haha as if. He’s known Naruto for over a decade and the phrase “give up” isn’t exactly in his vocabulary.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Excuse</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, but I’m going to have to ask you to </span>
  <em>
    <span>lower your voices</span>
  </em>
  <span> lest you disturb the other </span>
  <em>
    <span>customers,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Karin says in a low, venomous tone, with a menacing tilt of her glasses. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto, lowering his voice not at all, points at her without looking, heading straight toward Sasuke. “I’ve no quarrel with you, lady! Hand over the traitor and we’ll be gone!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura slaps her hand to her forehead. This was not what she expected when she followed Naruto here and if she’d been more clearheaded she might’ve come up with a way to acost Sasuke </span>
  <em>
    <span>outside</span>
  </em>
  <span> the store. She didn’t want to be party to one of their dramatic fights. They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> dramatic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto, we talked about this,” Sasuke says from behind the espresso machine. “It’s for the good of my career.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or rather, Naruto yelled while Sasuke very seriously and very clearly stated his reasons from the safety of the interior of his car, as Naruto jogged along beside him. He has often been glad for the car, despite the city’s exorbitant parking fees, not least of for times like these, because Naruto otherwise would literally have followed him all the way home with questions and complaints. Evidently that “talk” was not enough, and here he was, demanding further explanation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t accept a dumb reason like that at all!” Naruto says, because he’s Naruto, and he’s a good and loyal friend but he doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>understand.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hell, there’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>so much</span>
  </em>
  <span> about the world that Naruto frankly just </span>
  <em>
    <span>doesn’t get, </span>
  </em>
  <span>because he lives in some happy fantasy land inside that head of his where people all get along, or they would, if they got to know one another. Things like business, politics, duty, and competing interests are far outside of his scope of thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what is it that you can do at this coffee shop that you can’t do at out coffee shop! It’s literally on the same block! You’ll be serving the same people! You’re serving the same damn </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing!! It’s COFFEE!!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not the same thing! That’s the thing you never understood about coffee! I don’t- why am I even trying to explain this to you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should try explaining yourself more often!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, drop it! I’m at work, Naruto, and you should be too, there’s the door.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not leaving here without you!” Naruto says, and he manages to lean over the counter without falling over, finally grabbing hold of Sasuke’s shirt - wily bastard - and </span>
  <em>
    <span>tugging. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke slips and catches himself because he flails in too undignified a manner and then he has Naruto in a headlock, which unfortunately pulls Naruto further over the counter, knocking over several mugs and a glass decanter that crashes onto the floor. There’s a tussle, and then arms pulling them apart and Sasuke looks up, huffing, to find Suigetsu with his arms around Sasuke’s and a beat cop that they must’ve pulled in from off the street hauling Naruto up like a hissy kitten. Karin is standing to the side looking </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry as hell</span>
  </em>
  <span>, arms crossed, tapping her foot. Sakura, always the smartest of them all, probably got out of there when the cop got involved.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure I don’t even need to say this,” Karin says to Naruto, “but you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>banned</span>
  </em>
  <span> from the premises. Indefinitely.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The cop drags him out the store. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke!!! This isn’t over!!” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Asdlkjasjd life has gotten so BUSY</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi is chasing Bisuke around the living room, a tube of balm for Bisuke’s little paw pads in his hand, as Bisuke jumps and yips and thinks it’s all a fun game.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bisuke!” Kakashi says, exasperated. Bisuke is the puppy of the group, with boundless energy - a trait Kakashi himself no longer shares. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Arf!” Bisuke responds happily, hopping onto and off the sofa, then darting behind it to ‘hide and seek’ with Kakashi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi. Look at your big brother Pakkun and how nicely he sits and waits when it's time to put ointment on. You should follow in your older siblings’ examples.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bisuke sits, tail wagging enthusiastically. Then Kakashi takes a step forward, and Bisuke darts under an end table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi! I’m home!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sits on the ground, cross-legged and no longer willing to chase Bisuke around the house. He beckons Bisuke forward with a hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome home - I’m in the living room!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Gai makes it there, Kakashi is lying on the ground. As a last resort, he decides to play dead, hoping to entice Bisuke out to gnaw and tug on him because of lack of attention. It nearly works. Bisuke makes a sharp turn away from Kakashi to greet Gai instead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Got you!” Gai says, scooping up the puppy faster than the eye can follow. Kakashi can’t help but smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re the best,” he says, arms out so Gai can deposit Bisuke on top of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai leans down for a quick kiss. “Got you too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How was work your first real day back, without Sasuke?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sighs, smile gone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm. Well. Naruto got banned from Sasuke’s new place of work, and Sakura nearly punched our new trainee for saying something less than complimentary about her looks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see they’re taking the loss of their comrade rather badly!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sits up, and starts, finally, rubbing balm on Bisuke’s little paws.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t entirely blame them, though, well, I can’t say that I’m happy that their first response was to get into a fight. They’re both a bit punch first, questions later, aren’t they? Anyway, it’s not like Sasuke’s given anyone a satisfactory explanation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Haa...that Sasuke’s still a handful, isn’t he?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to fault him for being less than social either, because, I mean, pot, kettle. But, he is coming off as unreasonable. It’s not that the pay is better, because I know for a fact Orochimaru sticks to minimum wage. And it’s certainly not the crowd, because Sasuke’s new co-workers are frankly kind of knockoffs of his old friends. And if he’s really just doing this because I wouldn’t buy him a new espresso machine, I have to say, it’s surprisingly childish.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai listens patiently to Kakashi as he muses and grumbles, and then Kakashi, having finished with Bisuke, swoons dramatically and collapses to the floor, throwing an arm over his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai! I’m getting old. I’m too old for this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Teenage rebellion?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They should be much past that!” Kakashi pats Akino, who trots over to take a seat by his head. “I’m sorry Gai, but you’ve married an old, old man.” For reasons Kakashi doesn’t understand, Gai seems to think this is very funny.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The second day without Sasuke is not much better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This time </span>
  <em>
    <span>Naruto</span>
  </em>
  <span> nearly punched the new guy, Sai,” Kakashi says with a sigh. Gai spoons a second helping of curry onto his plate as Kakashi pushes around his own half eaten food.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Frankly, I’m not sure Sai is a good fit for the team either. They got into some dick measuring contest that nearly turned literal. I’m not trying to get shut down by Health and Safety, or sued by customers, you know? But we’re so short staffed, and classes are going to start soon. We may have to cut back on hours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai stops eating, blinking at Kakashi. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s unusual.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm? It’s not. We do weird hours all the time, that’s the beauty of running your own business, isn’t it? Especially when you have no ambitions, and practically no overhead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I mean, you’re referring to the coffee shop like it’s some kind of chore, Kakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sits up from his steep slouch. He could always count on Gai to be keenly astute about all things Kakashi-related, before Kakashi himself even noticed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve always talked about it as a place you love, your favorite charming hangout that you look forward to, where you spend time with your dear brother and mentees. The business is one thing, but Kakashi, you’ve never actually referred to it as a job.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is quiet for a moment, because, well, Gai might be right, but what is he supposed to say to that? He hopes it’s temporary. Is it?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is this what a mid-life crisis feels like?” Kakashi wonders aloud.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The third day is little better than the second or first.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto might be banned from HEBI, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t stand outside the store and yell “SASUKE!!!! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME YOU COWARD!!” until Sakura manages to drag him away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi has technically </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> had a vacation, but he is very much feeling like he now needs a vacation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the very least, Sai has improved, somewhat. First there was a short-lived attempt at giving him the silent treatment, and then there were a couple of arguments which at least let everyone air their frustrations. After that, they seemed to have come to some tepid sort of understanding, and at the very least are capable of working together without spilling any hot liquids. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, Gai was right. “Barely tolerable” was not what Kakashi wanted out of his romantic coffee shop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got to bring in the big guns,” Kakashi decides. “This can’t go on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai leans over and kisses Kakashi good night, then turns off the lamp on the nightstand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good plan, Kakashi. Good night.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Saturday rolls around and Kakashi decides to kill two birds with one stone. He gets the leashes out, and takes Pakkun, Bull, Akino, Guruko, and Bisuke out for a walk in the park, where Kakashi is planning to meet his contact. The man is as professional and competent as they come, a close comrade in arms from Kakashi’s time working special operations in the field, and most miraculously, someone of seemingly infinite patience. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi spots the brown haired man on a bench and approaches with a wave. “Yo. Tenzo.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stares.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Senpai. Are you a dog walker?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? No. Why would you ask that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tenzo sighs, then stands and walks over to Kakashi. The two of them continue down the park pathway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, what is this job you wanted to talk to me about?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yamato is the world's most preeminent babysitter. on par with Mary Poppins, frankly</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>THAnk you guys for all the comments kudos etc I love every single one ahhhhh</p><p>Still ridiculously busy ;a; where has my free time gone<br/>Also I love my tree son but I have no idea how to write him lolllllll</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So I heard you and Gai finally tied the knot,” Tenzo says, after he and Kakashi have circled the park a grand total of three times and no further information about the job has been forthcoming. Kakashi is dithering. He’s having second thoughts, which means either it’s a dangerous job he is loath to recommend but needs someone he can trust, or, and Tenzo is hedging his bets on this one, Kakashi is embarrassed.  </p><p> </p><p>“Ah.” Kakashi smiles, genuinely happy rather than sheepish, which, considering it’s Gai, Tenzo is not surprised. </p><p> </p><p>“There’s even a newlywed flush, I see,” Tenzo can’t help but quip. Because it’s true. Just the memory of his recent nuptials is enough to make Kakashi go from gloom to glow. Kakashi wasn’t nearly so emotive back in their field days, but everyone on their squad knew about “his guy” nonetheless.  “Give Gai my best,” he adds.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course you knew. Sorry for not sending an invitation, we didn’t much invite anyone we didn’t see day to day, you see. It was the tiniest gathering,” Kakashi explains, and Tenzo waves the sort-of apology away. </p><p> </p><p>“I should do the adult thing and invite you over for dinner, or brunch, or whatever it is people do these days,” Kakashi says. “Gai will be happy to see you again too.”</p><p> </p><p>“And I humbly accept this invitation to whatever it is civilized adults such as ourselves do. Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?”</p><p> </p><p>They’ve done so much walking that the small pug has had enough of exercise, perching atop the big bulldog instead. Kakashi dithers some more.</p><p> </p><p>“Ne, Tenzo, have you thought of settling down?”</p><p> </p><p>“What is this, all of a sudden…”  </p><p> </p><p>Tenzo is, generally, expert in deflecting Kakashi’s distractions. But Kakashi is genius-level unpredictable when he tries to be.  </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you ever think of, oh, I don’t know, planting some roots down, maybe having a few kids?”</p><p> </p><p>Tenzo gives Kakashi a highly suspicious look.</p><p> </p><p>“Senpai. Are you trying to pawn your <em> children </em> off on me?”</p><p> </p><p>Pakkun gives Tenzo a horrified look, which Kakashi doesn’t notice.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re always jetsetting around the globe on your missions, interacting with people who don’t even know what your real name is,” Kakashi continues, and, ow. That does kind of sting. Tenzo frowns, and looks to Pakkun for sympathy.</p><p> </p><p>It’s not that Tenzo dislikes what he does; ‘like’ doesn’t factor into it. He is not the self-pitying type. If he had to classify himself as anything, survivor would be the most fitting description. Tenzo is endlessly adaptable, and he’s long consoled any passing thought of unhappiness or doubt with the fact that he does what he does because no one else can or will. </p><p> </p><p>“Come meet them at least,” Kakashi says. </p><p> </p><p>Of course he agrees.</p><p> </p><p>“By the way, it’s ‘Yamato’ now.”</p><p> </p><p>“Eh? Really? That’s a very plain name, isn’t it…”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s what it says on my passport.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine, fine. But you’ll always be Tenzo to me.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s not my real name either and you know it.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The “children” turn out to be not more dogs, but a trio of 20-year-olds. There’s a blond one who seems to be having a conniption, a pink-haired girl who looks like she’s old hat at dealing with Kakashi’s antics, and a pale boy who is wearing a smile so fake it’s practically offensive.</p><p> </p><p>“So this here Yamato will be your new manager,” Kakashi finishes with a flourish of a gesture. “We’re old work buddies, so we go way back and with Yamato around I’m sure the shop will be left in good hands. Take care of him.”</p><p> </p><p>Sai, the pale one, raises his hand like they’re in grade school.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes?” Kakashi says, calling on Sai as if he was teaching grade school.</p><p> </p><p>“Old work buddies, meaning you were in special forces together, right?” Sai asks, and Yamato startles but doesn’t show it. “I looked Kakashi up when Sasuke referred me this job,” he explains, and something in Kakashi’s face must confirm it. </p><p> </p><p>“So my question is for Yamato-san: Have you ever killed a man?”</p><p> </p><p>To Yamato’s surprise, both Naruto and Sakura’s heads snap toward Sai, leveling him very annoyed looks. The lack of tact and filter must be a frequent nuisance, then.</p><p> </p><p>“Then, Kakashi, if Yamato’s our new manager, how often are you coming into work?” Sakura says. </p><p> </p><p>“Ah.” Kakashi scratches his cheek with a finger, avoiding their eyes. “Once a….month?”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto gasps, high and dramatic.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi. Kakashi! How could you-” He is practically wheezing. “Abandoning your <em> team </em> in our time of <em> need-” </em></p><p> </p><p>Yamato side-eyes Kakashi. This was not what he was expecting when Kakashi offered him a posting in his “cozy college-town cafe, something like out of a romcom, Tenzo, I swear. It’s adorable and my kids, er, employees are adorable, and I just think you should settle down here for a bit until you figure out what you want to do with your life, you know?”</p><p> </p><p>And yes, maybe it was super obvious that Kakashi was projecting his own midlife crisis onto Yamato, but Yamato was curious about this kind of Hallmark-movie-level of mundane and tempted enough to try it out. This was starting to seem more like a teen drama. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m a married man now, Naruto, I have other priorities,” Kakashi says blithely.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto wheezes, then seems to swallow down his apparent heart attack and turns teary eyes of betrayal onto his once-mentor.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi you TRAITOR! Everyone’s a traitor!” He lunges at Kakashi, who could have dodged easily, but Sakura holds Naruto back, and he crumples a moment later, burying his face in Sakura’s shoulder, possibly sobbing. Yamato continues to stand, awkwardly. Sai does not seem to much mind the dramatics, still wearing his very bland smile. </p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Sakura is torn between agreeing with Naruto because “This is a cowardly move, Kakashi,” she says, but on the other hand Sasuke’s departure, after the shock wore off, had her thinking. </p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t like she was going to work in a coffee shop forever. Hell, she knew Naruto, as attached as he was, didn’t plan on it either; he had crazy ambitious plans that had nothing to do with coffee. There was nothing wrong with staffing up. She probably would have suggested it herself a few weeks down the road once classes got busy even if The Sasuke Incident had never happened</p><p>Except now - Naruto is crying (angry tears of frustration perhaps but tears nonetheless). And. It doesn’t seem like the right time (unlike Sasuke she has TACT). So she pats Naruto on the shoulder while giving Kakashi a less than pleased look. </p><p> </p><p>Then she extends a hand toward Yamato, their new manager, and gives him a civil smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Well then, welcome to the team.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gaara was mildly surprised when Naruto showed up to his apartment in a sulk - Kakashi had finally come back and had joined them at work that day, and if anything he would have thought Naruto would be in high spirits, ready to gossip about his brother’s newly married status. And frankly, Gaara hadn’t expected Naruto to show up that night at all; they hadn’t made plans.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto took the hot mint tea Gaara made him and settled into the deepest corner of the couch, letting himself get swallowed up by the pillows, and eventually set down the undrunk lukewarm tea that’d warmed his hands, and put his head on Gaara’s closest knee. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke left,” he finally explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And it was understandable - Naruto’s state, and how upset he was. Gaara was baffled at Sasuke’s chosen method of farewells, but Naruto explained that “he’s the kind of drama queen that bottles everything up and doesn’t tell anybody shit and all his friends are the ones who have to pay for it” and that he had been that way since he was a child. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was not understandable was Naruto continuing to sulk for nearly two weeks after - prompted by the </span>
  <em>
    <span>randomest</span>
  </em>
  <span> things. They could be having dinner, and Naruto would catch the label of the wasabi packets and his expression would darken, once again lulled back into a Sasuke-inspired tirade about “that bastard who betrayed us all” et cetera, et cetera.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re watching </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Lion King, </span>
  </em>
  <span>for goodness sake, when it happens. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Again.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And this time Gaara has had enough. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto is saying something about how Scar could learn a thing or two from Sasuke when Gaara grabs him by the shoulder and more or less pulls him backwards so Naruto is flat on his back on the couch. Gaara leans over and stares Naruto right in the eyes, so there is no mistaking Gaara’s own expression and message. He is fed up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s it,” Gaara says, not raising his voice, but in an unmistakably low and serious tone. “I refuse to let this debacle continue on any longer. We can talk about Sasuke, fine. I am happy to listen, if you need to vent. But you </span>
  <em>
    <span>cannot</span>
  </em>
  <span> let every inconvenience in the world remind you of the injury he has caused you. Is he not your friend? Do you really want the worst of your experiences be what you associate with one of your oldest friends? This cannot be healthy, Naruto, and you are starting to concern me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto stares, eyes wide and sparkling blue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto?” Gaara frowns. He hopes he hasn’t crossed some line. But Naruto doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> upset.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Naruto says, breathless. He looks a little flushed, in fact. He clears his throat. “Sorry, what did you say? I sort of, erm. Stopped listening.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well it was distracting!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What was?” Gaara crosses his arms, trying for indignant, though he feels just a teeny bit self concious now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The fact that my boyfriend is not only incredibly cute, but impossibly sexy!” Naruto sits back up. “How is that fair!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara turns red.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara pays a visit to HEBI the next day. He’s gotten an earful from Naruto of all of Sasuke’s sins, but it occurs to him he hasn’t heard much of Sasuke’s side. In truth, he hopes there is just some simple misunderstanding, further exacerbated by the fact that Naruto can no longer set foot into this establishment to speak with Sasuke, and an objective third party such as himself can easily remedy the whole situation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke, good morning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke blinks in surprise when he sees Gaara at the door, but he greets him with a small smile as Gaara makes his way over. Gaara peruses the menu and Sasuke’s smile turns wry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did Naruto send you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, he doesn’t know I’m here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That surprises him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara gives up perusing the menu. “A medium coffee, please.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke makes a face at him. “Any blend in particular?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“.....house?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke sighs. He supposes he can’t ask too much from a novice like Gaara. “Milk? Sugar?” He’s overwhelmed enough by these basic choices, it seems.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“......black.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke fills a medium paper cut with the boring vat of boring normal house blend hot coffee as efficiently and as professionally as he would make any other drink. Then he rumages around for the cap and paper sleeve, wanting to prolong the interaction just a little more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hear your relationship with Naruto has been strained,” Gaara says. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke snorts. “That’s one way of putting it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I ask - why </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> you leave?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke plunks the cap on the cup, then ignores Gaara’s protest and stabs a little plastic stopper into the cap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had to get out from under their shadow. This is my career we’re talking about here, and I want to do something in the industry, really do something, but over at Team 7 no one really cares about coffee and it’s just about the ‘cozy aesthetic’ or teamwork or whatever. I want to take on more of the business responsibilities and maybe have a brand or franchise of my own in a year or two.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have you told them that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke scowls at Gaara’s takeout cup.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They wouldn’t understand. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> understand.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara frowns. He thinks Naruto very much could understand. Naruto has been working on an investment app and Gaara has played sounding board as he worked out his pitch and it is no small project. Why would Naruto of all people not support Sasuke in his business endeavors?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But they’re your friends,” Gaara says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And that’s exactly why I needed to make a clean break,” Sasuke insists. “My friends are the only ones who would insist that their relationship should mean more than what </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to do. They don’t know what it’s like to have the pressures of the family business and your sibling’s success hanging over you, before you even set out to try to succeed. You understand, don’t you, Gaara?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara turns this bizarre logic around in his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I don’t,” he says. He will have to talk to Naruto, and try to explain Sasuke’s perspective, though he doesn’t quite understand it, to be honest. At least he can try to persuade Naruto to make another attempt at conversation </span>
  <em>
    <span>without</span>
  </em>
  <span> a fistfight. Gaara nods his goodbye at Sasuke, and heads for the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gaara, no - wait!”  It’s too late. Gaara’s out the door before Sasuke can insist he is the one in the right here, the logical party of the two.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, did your boyfriend just dump you at work? That sucks man,” Suigetsu says, crossing his arms behind his head. He looks way too amused to be giving condolences in earnest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not my boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah we all saw. So you’re single now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke gives him the most imperious glare he can muster.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara heads into Team Seven after his conversation with Sasuke and he makes one fatal mistake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He brings his just-purchased coffee in with him, the letters HEBI emblazoned on the side for all to see.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A shocked, high gasp greets Gaara the moment he sets foot in the door, and Gaara stops, mid-smile, mid-wave, as he sees Naruto’s horrified expression from across the cafe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“TRAITOR!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is stunned stone-still, until Naruto’s expression crumples. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not you too, Gaara!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then he’s chasing after Naruto, who has made a rather dramatic retreat to the back room of the cafe, where customers technically aren’t allowed, but Sakura clearly takes pity on him, letting him through the side and taking his undrunk coffee cup from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sai turns to Yamato with his eerie bland smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s very entertaining working here, Yamato-san. It’s almost like being in one of my grandma’s telenovas,” Sai says. “I think you’ll have fun here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato thinks he disagrees. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leaning against the industrial fridge in the back room, Naruto looks a lot less high strung than he was a moment ago. Still, Gaara approaches gingerly, telegraphing his steps, making no sudden motions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not actually stupid, you know,” Naruto says, rubbing his face with a sleeve. Gaara’s last few steps to reach him are quick after that, and he lets himself pull Naruto into a hug, even though he’s technically at work, and this technically isn’t private. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean that I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> think it’s a betrayal to buy coffee at Sasuke’s new cafe or whatever, and it’s not like our coffee shop has declared war on his, it’s not that. Just. Sasuke left, and then Kakashi all but left, and it’s not even the fact that they’re gone so much as they didn’t even think I would miss them at all. And then just. Seeing you earlier,” Naruto turns bashful now, at his very uncool and embarrassing admission, “with the cup, it just all piled together. And brought up some other bad memories. People leaving and stuff, you know. One after another.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His voice gets very quiet. “I don’t know if I could be okay if you left too, Gaara.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara bites his lip with what he thinks is anger - on Naruto’s behalf? Maybe. “I wouldn’t. I’d never.” He squeezes. He wants to say other things too, but he doesn’t think next to a fridge at work in response to a rather emotional and strange outburst is the best time to make new declarations. Later, perhaps. He’ll take Naruto out to lunch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto rubs his cheek against the side of Gaara’s face, and it musses up his hair a bit. He finally releases him from his stranglehold of a hug, and then Naruto gives Gaara a lopsided smile. Not his brightest, but genuine nonetheless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Gaara, you’re the best.” Naruto likes to tell Gaara he always know exactly what to say, but Gaara thinks in truth he is just a good listener, because it always seems like Naruto figures out what he needs to after he gets the chance to express himself, and Gaara is more than happy to make space for that. So Gaara just squeezes his hand in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I guess I’ll get back to work then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And I have to get to class. Lunch?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes! I’ll text you.”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another short update because I have literally been thinking about this particular episode ever since Sasuke announced he was defecting</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gaara has a free morning a few days later and he spends it typing away at a table in Team Seven with a particularly good view of the front counter. Naruto seems to have finally decided his theatrics were a bit much, but he still gets sad about Sasuke from time to time.</p><p> </p><p>And evidently this gloominess, moreso than the challenges to a fight, have drawn the attention of Naruto’s friend Lee, who Gaara understands is a student of Gai’s. </p><p> </p><p>“Naruto! I challenge you to a run!” Lee declares loudly from the center of the establishment. Gaara, like every other onlooker, blinks in surprise. This is the first time he has seen Lee in person. Gaara supposes it is unmistakable - he is Gai’s student. </p><p> </p><p>You might even be forgiven for mistaking the two as relations on first glance, Gaara muses, except on closer inspection they have no such similarities. Their bone structures are entirely different. Lee has none of Gai’s bold facial features, and their physiques are nothing alike either; Lee is lean, wiry, and would not bulk easily. What they share, perhaps, is a fashion sense and mission.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto scrunches up his face.</p><p> </p><p>“What, now? Lee, I’m working!”</p><p> </p><p>“Tomorrow morning, 4 a.m., Naruto - at the park! I challenge you to see who can run the most laps, before 8:45 because then I have to go to my shift!”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto balks. “You wanna run five hours before you gotta go train people at the gym? Lee, geez man.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you too cowardly to take me up on my challenge, Naruto! I should have thought a youthful spirit such as yourself, ceaselessly challenging your rival Sasuke day after day, could understand my enthusiasm!”</p><p> </p><p>Gaara looks to Naruto and Lee and Naruto again. People are starting to film Lee’s enthusiastic youthful issuance of a challenge. He looks a beat too long, perhaps, because Lee notices him and turns to Gaara with a wink and a smile, and a thumbs up.</p><p> </p><p>“Naruto’s boyfriend! I’m Rock Lee, it’s good to officially meet you! And please, you are welcome to join us on our most youthful run tomorrow!”</p><p> </p><p>“Eh-” Gaara’s first instinct would be to decline, except he’s still trying to process the phenomenon that is Rock Lee. Frankly, he is probably as much a force of nature as Naruto, and Gaara wonders if such characters are drawn to each other, and that it was destiny Naruto and Lee would have become friends in any case. </p><p> </p><p>“It will be good for you, Gaara! The vigorous exercise will put some color into your youthful complexion! Exercise is not only good for the body, but the mind and soul! A healthy day is the first to a healthy life, to happiness! You owe it to yourself and your relationship to try to grasp such health and happiness!”</p><p> </p><p>Lee’s over-enthusiastic cadence make him easy to dismiss, but the words strike Gaara as profound. He find himself readily agreeing. He does owe it to Naruto to bring a healthy self - mind and spirit - into their relationship, doesn’t he? He hadn’t even thought happiness a possibility until he met Naruto, and that was all the more reason to go on that 4 a.m. run in the park, wasn’t it?</p><p> </p><p>“Alright,” Gaara says instead, before he realizes he has said anything.</p><p> </p><p>“EHH??!” Naruto had not been expecting Gaara to agree so quickly. He scrunches up his face, jutting out his lower lip as he thinks, visualizing getting up that early and whether he has anywhere to be at 8:45 a.m., and decides if <em> Gaara </em> wants to go then, hell, fine, he’ll beat Lee at his own challenge!</p><p> </p><p>“See you at 4, bushy brows!”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Gaara does not make it to 8:45 a.m.</p><p> </p><p>A few laps in, Naruto and Lee are trading jibes and quips, jogging side by side at an even pace while Gaara feels his steps start to slow.</p><p> </p><p>And slow.</p><p> </p><p>And slow.</p><p> </p><p>Soon he is on the other side of the park and they have left him long behind in the dust. Another half an hour later, they lap him.</p><p> </p><p>“Come on, Gaara! This is a celebration of the springtime of your youth! You can do it!” Lee cheers him on as the two bound past him. Gaara watches. The sun has risen from its sleepy dawn light to a full orb of fire high in the sky. The birds are chirping. He basks in the sound of Naruto’s laughter as Lee throws out a few more encouraging lines.</p><p> </p><p>It’s no good. He won’t make it.</p><p> </p><p>Gaara jogs at a snail’s pace a little while more, running on the fumes of Lee and Naruto’s sparkling youthfulness.</p><p> </p><p>Then he drags himself off the jogging path and onto the lawn, where some of Kakashi’s dogs are playing. Bisuke and Akino run after the pair and even do a few laps, but Pakkun and Bull have long lost interest and Guruko has been busy trying to chase (eat???) butterflies. </p><p> </p><p>Gaara flops, facedown, into the grass. It’s fresh and soft and he will rest here now.</p><p> </p><p>He hears a snuffle as Bull pads over and takes a seat beside him, a show of camaraderie.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a good friend, Bull,” he mumbles into the grass. </p><p> </p><p>Gaara blows a blade of grass out of his mouth, and turns his head to the side. Enough time has passed that Naruto and Lee have finished another lap, still head to head, enthusiasm not yet to wane.</p><p> </p><p>The lighting is perfect right here, Gaara thinks. He can see their faces so clearly. March is giving way to April and the world looks like it too. It feels like it too, hot after this much activity, even so early in the morning. Naruto is covered in a sheen of sweat and it rather sparkles as it flies off him while the two of them pass by Gaara. His cheeks are flushed. </p><p> </p><p>“Springtime, huh?” Gaara says to Bull. He huffs in agreement. </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Later, as Naruto and Lee cool down with their water bottles, calling it a draw, Lee gives Gaara another Nice Guy Thumbs Up.</p><p> </p><p>“If you don’t like running, come to the gym!” he says. “TenTen will help you find and design a fitness regime! Lots of people like different things! A lady who hated running discovered last week she loves to row! Exercise is good for a healthy happy mind! I wish you and Naruto all the best!”</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm. Thank you,” Gaara says, giving Lee a nod as Lee waved to Gaara and Naruto and took off for his shift. It was worthy advice, he’d consider it. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato walks into Team Seven at 5:43 a.m. and wonders, not for the first time, why the hell he stayed on after that first disastrous meeting Kakashi had arranged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto and Sakura are standing by the counter doing shots. Of whole milk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato is willing to bet the farm that this is another Sasuke-inspired shenanigan.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who was there for him when the family business tanked? We were. Who was there for him when his brother basically ditched the Uchihas?? We were!” Sakura says, slamming down her shot glass. Naruto pours her another, nodding along vehemently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And now because of some stupid idea that the coffee shop he works at in college has </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do with the future of his career, he doesn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>call me?</span>
  </em>
  <span> On my </span>
  <em>
    <span>birthday??”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto pours himself a shot of milk and downs it as well, if only so his drink count matches Sakura’s.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A downright travesty,” Naruto agrees. “Sasuke should be ashamed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re damn RIGHT he should be.” Sakura, though not actually drunk, goes from enraged to mopey in a second. She crosses her arms on the counter and puts her head down. “How did he grow up so poorly, that Sasuke! I didn’t raise such an insolent boy!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto pats her on the shoulder, sympathetic tears starting to well in his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato clears his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who is this Sasuke fellow?” he asks innocently, as if the Shadow of Sasuke’s Misdeeds hadn’t been hanging over Team Seven since his first day. Because they’d never said it in so many words, see, and Yamato is an investigator by trade and training.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them are, absurdly, quieted at this, looking at each other and communicating silently, as if asking if they really want to be discussing Sasuke and his transgressions in public. As if they hadn’t been doing so at length and at great volume every day for half a month. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Naruto starts, hesitantly, “Sasuke is a good friend of ours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was,” Sakura corrects.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Naruto nods. “But not </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> because he’s dead, but like, because he’s a jerk, you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So he’s not our friend anymore.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not our </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> friend anymore,” Naruto corrects, giving Sakura a look like they’d talked about this. “Like he’s a jerk, but we’d take him back if he apologized.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If he groveled.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato reminds himself to ask Kakashi for a raise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And why did this formerly good friend fall out of your good graces?” he asks, picking up a stray glass to polish, feeling himself fall into a kind of bartender role.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because he left!” Naruto says with a scowl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura nods. “He doesn’t call, he doesn’t write…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He betrayed the team!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Yamato says, nodding, not understanding at all. “And why did he do that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Evidently this is a harder question to answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because he’s a jerkface,” Sakura seethes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s it? Because he’s a jerkface? If he was only a jerkface, he wouldn’t have been such a close friend to you too, would he?” Yamato says. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto pouts, squinting. “Because he’s an </span>
  <em>
    <span>idiot,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he says with feeling, as if that explained everything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because he’s an idiot,” Yamato parrots, almost a question, prompting further explanation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah Sasuke thinks that if he stays with his friends, we’ll just hold him back. That the experience won’t be anything like the </span>
  <em>
    <span>ruthlessness</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>industry</span>
  </em>
  <span> and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>real world</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Naruto says, mimicking scare quotes. “Which is the kinda thing only an idiot would do, because who says you don’t have friends in the real world?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right???” Sakura adds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato nods, internally surprised at Naruto’s insightfulness. He’d reckon that Sasuke underestimated Naruto in that manner from time to time as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So Sasuke wanted to strike out on his own...to do what? Become a better barista?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto frowns. “Yeah. No. Kinda?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke wants to be the best!” Sakura scoffs. “And he thinks we’re too laid back to try to be the best, that’s the bottom line.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato looks from Sakura to Naruto, who doesn’t disagree.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a quiet moment, as Sakura and Naruto mourn the loss of their friend, and Yamato marvels at how simple the solution is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, then that settles it!” he says with good cheer. The two look at him like he’s grown a second head. “The answer is obvious.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The answer?” Naruto asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We just make Team Seven the best,” Yamato says confidently, nodding. The optimism is well received; Naruto seems ready to rise to the occasion already, and Sakura even perks up a little bit as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” she asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean, we make Team Seven the most successful cafe on the block. No, in the entire college town. It will outperform HEBI by spades, and people will talk. Sasuke, if he is as concerned with his career as you say he is, will be checking up on the competition - us - and he’ll worry. And then when the numbers come in next quarter he’ll have living proof. Team Seven is better than HEBI.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gives them a small smile, as if letting them in on a secret.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then he’ll want to come back. He may even grovel.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re both definitely interested now, eyes sparkling at the idea, perhaps imagining a tearful Sasuke trying to get back into their good graces, admitting he was wrong (which would be a first). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yamato!” Naruto says, incredibly moved, “you’re a good manager after all! I can’t believe we ever doubted you wanted to be part of the team!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, ouch. Yamato was nothing if not a team player.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura nods, crossing her arms. “Yes, Yamato, a wonderful suggestion. Truly a worthy contribution to the team.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That settles it, we’ve gotta give you, I dunno, a nickname or something, you know, so you really feel at home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, that’s not really necessary.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You could be like- like- our team captain!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Captain of Team Seven!” Sakura says in an announcer’s voice. “That’s not a bad idea, Naruto.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They smile at him, the two rosy faced, cheeky little devils.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to the team, Captain!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“....thanks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato looks at his watch; they’d been at this long enough that they’ll have to rush to be ready for opening. At least they’re fired up to make Team Seven a success, he supposes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, time to open,” he says, and to his surprise, Sakura wipes her hands on a towel and pats Naruto on the back, slinging her bag over her shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See you guys, then! Naruto. Captain Yamato.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato blinks. “You don’t have a shift?” he asks. If it was just him and Naruto...well, Naruto couldn’t even work the espresso machine and produce anything remotely drinkable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura snorts, rolling her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course not. It’s my birthday. I’m going to meet Ino for breakfast and then we’ll spend the day together.” She gives them both a smile and a wave, and takes off. “Good luck!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...thanks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have a great birthday, Sakura!!!!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi relishes his freedom from the confines of work and Sasuke-related grievances for a grand total of three days, before he goes absolutely stir crazy the third afternoon sitting at home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is a man of routine. He likes having time to read his romance novels, yes, but he likes it better when that time is coupled with many other changes of scenery in the day. He doesn’t show his face in the cafe these three days largely because he made such a big deal about taking a break. But Kakashi really does enjoy people watching, and people listening...all that entertaining gossip. So what if he is a nosy old lady at heart sometimes and lived vicariously through others’ soap opera lives, which were great fun as long as they didn’t hit so close to home (exhibit A: Sasuke).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t noticed the first day, to be honest. He busied himself with housework and was happy to get to some of the tasks that took extra time, the sort of things he would do once every three or four months, rather than part of the regular weekly cleaning. He ran errands, paid extra attention to the dogs, and watched his favorite movie the second day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But by the third it was obvious, blatant, that he was running out of ideas. His new routine, if he were no careful, would become a rather solitary one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi didn’t do so well alone, if he was honest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t like large groups of people, but he liked having </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> people close by, where he could keep an eye on them. That was the whole </span>
  <em>
    <span>point</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the coffee shop, and he cursed himself for being an idiot, temporarily blinded by the inconvenience of what was truly just a petty spat, and begged off work. Now Yamato was settling into his new position and Kakashi couldn’t exactly come back and say, hey, nevermind! He’d pulled the man out of a job from across the globe, for goodness sake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, the coffee shop was out. Fine. Kakashi did miss the chatter, but what he missed more was Gai. His husband.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t until Kakashi was out of his mind with his ample free time that he realized a second very important fact: Gai is not retired.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No, now Kakashi was all alone at home (with his many dogs) and it was glaringly obvious, Gai’s absence. Usually by the time Kakashi was home, Gai was soon to follow, and vice versa. Was this always how the house looked? How strange.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sulks about this for another few days, one of which he decides to try taking up texting, before getting frustrated with the inadequate form of communication (more the fact that the battery died because he couldn’t find the charger, only to have Guruko discover it before him and decide it was a toy to cut her teeth on).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai seems to realize this soon enough as well, but not in quite the same way as Kakashi. Or at least, much more tactfully than Kakashi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should find a new hobby, Kakashi!” he says that weekend, as the two of them are bathing the dogs out back in the yard. Bull decides, suddenly, to sit, resulting in a large tidal wave in the plastic pool that takes Pakkun under.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have lots of hobbies,” Kakashi says, fishing Pakkun out and rinsing the last of the bubbles off his head before wrapping the little pug in a towel.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He kind of does: he has his romance novels, his dogs, spying on Team Seven without being noticed these days, and Gai. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he understands what Gai means. It’s just that his default mode is to deflect. Gai gives him a kind, amused sort of smile that says he knows what Kakashi is doing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And really, it’s just the sort of thing that makes Kakashi miss him even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> on days where he suddenly has too much free time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I should take a cooking course,” he tells Bull, who is watching one of those cooking competition shows with him. Binging television has gotten awfully boring, with one episode blending into the next. It’s not nearly as enjoyable as when he and Gai used to meet weekly to watch the new episode of some sci-fi-esque detective show that honestly Kakashi can’t quite remember and totally wasn’t paying attention to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighs, and looks up at the ceiling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well. If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, and all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi shows up at Might! Gym around three in the afternoon and TenTen greets him at the counter. He warms up and works out with little fanfare, watching the clock. Gai had an errand to run that day, you see, and Kakashi estimated he would be back in another twenty minutes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s correct to the minute, and Gai returns to a gym full of members who suspiciously aren’t quite active - no, they’re rather busy being incredibly distracted by a sweaty Kakashi doing one-armed pull ups in that skintight sleeveless number of his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi! I didn’t think I’d see you here,” Gai says, appearing below him, hands on his hips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“499, 500,” Kakashi says, and drops to the floor to face Gai. There’s a glint in his eye that says he wants nothing more than to challenge his eternal rival to some physical feat, and this is exactly the Gai that Kakashi wants to see.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How about it?” Kakashi says. “Spar, for old time’s sake?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you’d never ask!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The casual ogling from the various gym members becomes a full-on audience as the two of them set out to the mats. It’s worth it, they put on a show. Both fluent in a handful of martial arts, they cycle through taekwondo, jujutsu, and Gai throws in some capoeira before switching to judo, and then finally, the blur of bodies comes to a standstill when he has Kakashi pinned to the mats.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi smiles up at him. “This is me tapping out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai snorts. “Don’t think you’re throwing the match either, there’s no way out of this for you, rival.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could always cheat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ohh? I’d like to see you try-” Gai laughs, cut off as Kakashi pulls him down to steal a kiss. It’s a distraction for sure, but truly it is unlike Kakashi to be so playful. Gai bursts into his booming laugh once again. He’s glad Kakashi is feeling better.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Suigetsu first attended therapy at age 4, having bitten a fellow preschooler in the arm so hard he drew blood. The maniacal laughter afterwards probably didn't help. They'd been playing pirates, though, and Suigetsu was a shark, so he felt partially justified. He was a creative, and committed to the realism of the drama. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He completed a grand total of two sessions, before biting the therapist in the arm and taking quite a chunk out of it. He hasn't been since. But he thinks he's pretty well adjusted, considering what he's seen of his peers. He journals, for goodness sake, and he’s one of the happiest people he knows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The journal in question is an online blog, public but anonymous, with a very small, but dedicated circle of readers who he knows by username. He reads their blogs as well, and while he doesn’t understand all their hobbies (one of them is an accountant with family problems, another has a dog, and he thinks one is a beekeeper), he supports them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So I started at that coffee shop by the guy I interned with last summer, you remember the one? He “accidentally” locked me in the lab over a weekend and I couldn’t get out. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Now, let me tell you, I had no idea working in a coffee shop could be so much drama. I thought I would just be busy making coffee. How wrong I was!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No joke, the very first day we get started, my two colleagues are straight out of a reality TV show. There’s a redhead we’ll call K, because she is kah-ray-zee, and a surly pretty boy we’ll call S, because his expression is always either a scowl or a sulk. Both of them are top level divas, and at first glance it seems like K will cause all the drama, but it’s always the quiet ones…</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So we meet everyone, and it’s going fine, normal. Then we open, and all is as expected as some people trickle into the new shop - there’s curiosity surrounding the place because we’ve decorated the windows for a month before opening, but we’re not like, part of people’s morning routines yet, you know? So, slow morning.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That is, until this blonde kid straight up rushes S and they get into a brawl in the middle of the shop. Right there in the shop! In broad daylight! The blonde kid gets banned from the store, obviously, and I ask S what’s up.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hn.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Two letters! That’s it! </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m starting to wonder whether S doesn’t secretly have a gambling problem or something and owe tons of people money (we’ve taken him off cash register duty) but then a few days later, everything becomes clear. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This goth kid shows up, gravelly voice, really intense stare, and S looks happier than we’ve ever seen him these entire two weeks. They chat a bit and it’s hard to eavesdrop over the milk steamer, but I manage to catch enough that I’m pretty certain the redhead dumps him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Poor S.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But what does his breakup have to do with the angry blonde kid, you ask? Well, that very afternoon, I see the blonde and the goth kid holding hands! In broad daylight! On the sidewalk! </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So that totally means that S was having an affair with this goth kid, whose blonde boyfriend found out and beat him up, obviously. And *that’s* why the goth kid showed up a few days later and was like “I can’t see you anymore”!!!!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I couldn’t make this shit up if I tried.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Officially, Neji is a business development executive for Hyuga Holdings Inc. In layman’s terms, that means he is the family’s gofer. It’s always ‘Neji, can you take care of this scandal,’ ‘Neji, you need to make this lawsuit go away,’ ‘Neji, I need you to find me a two bedroom apartment on the DL and purchase it but like not in my name, okay? Just make it happen without letting gramps know it’s me or ask what it’s for.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It means he works 20-hour days, sometimes, and then has great swaths of time to spare when the family (thankfully) forgets his existence for three or four days at a time, between disasters. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On those days he usually sees Lee and TenTen, and he always take a free late morning to download all his thoughts in one big word dump, so as to sort through his life. He notices a new blog post from one of the few blogs he follows - there’s a small circle of them, urban professionals with seemingly boring lives - and takes the time to read it before he makes his own post.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few paragraphs in, he gasps, scandalized.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto’s boyfriend cheated on him??? With SASUKE of all people????” Neji texts furiously, because TenTen could always be guaranteed to confirm such gossip. How did he not KNOW. Did Naruto take Gaara back just like that? Unbelievable. “Sasuke???? This man has no taste.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yamato brings one of their new menu specials, the Adorable Teddy Bear Mocha Coco Latte (was it a mocha? A latte? Did it contain chocolate? Or coconut? Who knows. It definitely contains a bear - adorable indeed, face fashioned out of foam, with coffee powder on its ears), to the customer “Sukea” sitting in the corner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see you’re doing wonderful things with your retirement,” Yamato tells the shop’s proprietor, who weeks ago had been sooo desperate to get away that he called in a spy from another continent and demanded he fly in and take over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m working on a book,” the pseudo-photojournalist tells him with a smile. He looks down at the little foam teddy bear head and pokes it with a little spoon. It jiggles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see you’ve expanded the menu, since I last came,” he says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have indeed. It was Sakura’s brilliant idea.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The kids are rather fired up about defeating Sasuke.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah. ‘Defeating’ him in terms of sales, I assume.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Her first proposition was to start a business card bowl, a sort of raffle, except instead of a free drink, you could win a date with Naruto.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I understood where she was coming from: despite the fact that Naruto is capable of somehow burning coffee even after working two years in a coffee shop, I am pretty certain he is responsible for the majority of the sales.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now listen here Yamato, we had a no-dates rule there for a reason-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, yes, don’t worry, Gaara shot the idea down pretty quickly.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then she hit upon the idea of latte art, and became rather inspired.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let me guess, a week’s worth of milk went toward experimentation in a day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...something like that. But we made everything back and more. We’re popular with people who like to photograph their food.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, the whole college town.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yamato smiles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’s Sai fitting in?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto is 99 percent sure he’s an alien in human skin, sent to study our ways.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So they’re all getting along now. Good, good. I’m glad.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Sukea’ scoops an ear off the bear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You guys should do a pug special. I bet it’d be really popular.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a little known fact that Kakashi is free to loaf around for the rest of his days because he is living off his inheritance. First, there is the trust his mother set up that was his to access the moment he turned 21, except he had been overseas at the time and somehow, fortuitously, received a thrice-reposted letter weeks before he turned 31, allowing him to claim the trust before it was to be taken up as taxes by the government. Second, and more unknown, is the fact that his and Naruto’s godfather was not just a travel writer (possibly spy), but also wrote several series of ludicrous romance novels, which made a ludicrous amount of money that was now Kakashi’s to spend (with a portion bequeathed to Naruto when </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> turned 21 this fall). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The coffee shop was merely a diversion. Kakashi is pleased enough with his newfound status as a man of leisure; it reminds him fondly of those Regency era romances that Jiraiya adapted with historical inaccuracies abound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In fact, Kakashi was rereading that series right now.  It is as delightful as he remembered, and, well, rather </span>
  <em>
    <span>inspiring.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One and a half stories in, Kakashi is struck with the thought to take up the pen himself, and write. The protagonist falls for the wrong man entirely, and Kakashi can’t get the storyline of an alternate ending out of his head. He has heard of “fanfiction,” of course, but Kakashi sees no reason to rewrite Jiraiya’s work. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The hundreds of novel-sized tributes to his work that people posted online as a labor of love were well and good, but wouldn’t it be an even better tribute to his late mentor if he could give something </span>
  <em>
    <span>back</span>
  </em>
  <span> to his fans, in his name?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jiraiya wrote under a penname himself - several, in fact - and Kakashi wouldn’t be surprised if he wrote fanfiction of his own work as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So if </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kakashi</span>
  </em>
  <span> were to pick up the pen </span>
  <em>
    <span>and the penname</span>
  </em>
  <span> and come out with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>sequel</span>
  </em>
  <span> to one of his series (he’s thinking a continuation of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Love Amongst the Stars, </span>
  </em>
  <span>set in Golden Age Hollywood) that would create waves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you think, Pakkun?” Kakashi asks the pug sitting in his dog bed besides Kakashi’s working desk. “You think I can cut it as a romance novelist?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakkun blinks his puppy-dog eyes at him. Kakashi takes it as a yes. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>im tryina write everything down before i get BUSY again</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gaara is not </span>
  <em>
    <span>surprised</span>
  </em>
  <span>, per se, at the fact that Naruto and Kankuro become fast friends. Naruto is amazing. He is love incarnate and makes friends at the drop of a hat. Kankuro likes to rib people but he is an easy-going and sociable guy. So it’s no surprise at all. It’s not even surprising how quickly Naruto starts making fun of Kankuro right back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto seems to pick up other people’s languages intuitively, flawlessly, and is then able to communicate with them in their own style. (It casts his week of goading Sasuke into brawls in a bit of a different light. Naruto </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> say something about how things didn’t really sink in with Sasuke unless you spoke with your fists. Gaara did not realize how literal Naruto was being until this point.) </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, Gaara marvels at the turn of events. He is very happy, though perhaps just teeny bit off footed, by the realization that he is probably more a third wheel than Kankuro (who feels no such burden, at </span>
  <em>
    <span>all)</span>
  </em>
  <span> when the three of them get together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Talking with tech investors is the worst!” Naruto says, throwing his arms up. He’s been gesturing wildly, and more than one fry has flown out of his grasp during the course of his conversation. There is a pile of pomme frites at the center of the table at a trendy hole-in-the-wall joint Kankuro’s brought them to, where the menu is fries and nothing but fries, with a smorgasbord of condiments/dips/toppings/sauces available, all of which seem to have been ordered and are on their table. Gaara would have never thought to order several kilos of hot fried potato slices himself as a meal, but when in Rome, et cetera.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They never say what they </span>
  <em>
    <span>mean</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Naruto explains, exasperated. “They all tell me what a great idea it is blah blah blah, and all this really optimistic stuff, and then they come back and say sorry we don’t think it’s a right fit at this time????? I don’t understand you robot people.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey don’t lump me in with the financiers; us robotics nerds are another breed entirely. We’re the mad scientists, not the bank rollers,” Kankuro said. “Besides, have you forgotten who your boyfriend is?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto and Gaara both blink at him, fries halfway to their mouths. What does Gaara have to do with anything?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kankuro rolls his eyes. “Suna Tech?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh. Ohhh. Well. Gaara tries not to think about his father if he can help it, so, he can’t be blamed for forgetting the family business. Of course he knows his big sister is an executive. He just doesn't think about what company it is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto is a beat slower to catch on than Gaara is. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have an incubator department?” Kankuro elaborates, like they’re both slow, which, in this case, they kind of are.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not asking Gaara to ask his family business for a favor,” Naruto says, scrunching up his nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” Kankuro says, sounding serious, but Gaara knows better. He is </span>
  <em>
    <span>clearly</span>
  </em>
  <span> goading Naruto on now, and finding plenty of amusement in it. “You think he’s going to say no?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What! No! I mean, no that’s not what I’m worried about-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re worried he’ll say </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes! I mean, no! Argh! That’s not what I mean and you know it,” Naruto admonishes, shaking a fry at him. Naruto shoves it in his mouth in a huff and chews his frustration up, washing it down with some lemonade. Calmer now, he gives Kankuro a flat look, finally having caught onto the fact that he is being messed with.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not Gaara’s business, so it makes perfect sense I’m not asking him to ask a favor </span>
  <em>
    <span>for</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, obviously,” Naruto says, pushing the mango chili chutney toward his boyfriend. “Right, Gaara?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara blinks. They hadn’t discussed Suna Tech, really, but of course Naruto caught onto his feelings toward his father’s...everything. He tries the mango sauce. It’s sweet. He ranks it below the pesto aioli. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kankuro, I’m not part of the company and have no sway there anyway,” he says. He looks at Naruto. “I would have helped, if I did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto steals all of Kankuro’s sauces out of embarrassment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kankuro looks less than convinced.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really? You have no plans to stake out a claim in the company?” he asks his little brother. He rolls his eyes again at the mild startled look on Gaara’s face, imperceptible to those who don’t know his expressions. “Don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out yet. You’re studying coding and development. You could have gone as far away from tech and the family business if you wanted, but you came here, to Konoha U, and you signed up for that degree. Like hell you’re just going to go work for some random ass tech company. You think Temari’d let you work for one of her competitors? Of course not. And you already knew that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara shoves a fry in his mouth so he doesn’t have to answer.  Naruto, however, looks surprised. He offers Kankuro two sauces out of some apologetic sentiment. “Gaara, is that true?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara doesn’t know if it’s true. He looks to Naruto, and then to Kankuro, and unsettles at their expectant/knowing gazes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” he says. He’s tried not to think about the future, if he’s being honest. The here and now is where Naruto is. Who knew what existed in the future. “I haven’t given it that much thought yet.” Would he go back to Wind Country? If he did, would Naruto stay in Konoha? Gaara doesn’t quite like the idea. He doesn’t like the realization that perhaps he’s become clingy, either. He chews in thought. He thinks the gravy is his favorite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seriously though,” Kankuro says, cutting through the dampened mood. “Think about it.” He sits back, nodding and crossing his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Naruto asks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The two of you, working for Suna,” Kankuro says. He dips one fry in three sauces. Gaara wrinkles his nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto looks skeptical.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You both graduate in, what, a year? Don’t waste your time at some start up venture that you know is going to close down in like a year ‘’’’for the experience’’’’ that’s crap and you know it and you’ll live on nothing but ramen noodles and have nothing to show for it except a crappy line on your resume and experience playing office manager, salesguy, developer, et cetera all in one job.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto looks offended now. “I love ramen noodles.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then he glances at Gaara, as if to ask something. Gaara glances back: no, he didn’t tell Kankuro.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And I’m not actually a student at the university, you know?” Naruto says. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seriously?” Kankuro drops his fry. “You’re there like all the time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto scowls. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> because I was always waiting to meet up with Sasuke and Sakura. Except now Sasuke’s avoiding me and I have no plans to ambush him in class so they kick me off campus too.” He doesn’t say he sits in class with Gaara sometimes now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To Gaara’s surprise, Kankuro bursts into laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was wondering how you had time for all those projects you were talking about on top of </span>
  <em>
    <span>exams</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Undergrad is the worst.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto nods. Gaara silently agrees. And is rather miffed that if everyone thought it was so useless, why did they encourage Gaara to sign up! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh right. For the social experience, he remembers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s how he met Naruto after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, maybe it wasn’t so bad. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tries the mango chutney again. It’s still too sweet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, thanks, I guess, even if your advice is terrible,” Naruto says. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just looking out for my future brother in law,” Kankuro says with a shrug.  Naruto chokes on his lemonade. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>they probably walk around and then go get ramen after this and gaara is like HOW can you two STILL EAT</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Lee bursts into the gym with the sort of energy that TenTen recognizes immediately. He is going to blurt out a harebrained idea that nine out of ten times is <em> truly </em> awful (ten percent of the time, the idea is crazy, but just so crazy it might work). TenTen is a practical, efficient kind of person.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” she says, preempting the crazy.</p><p> </p><p>Lee falters but half a step. There is a foreboding sheet of paper in his hands and TenTen tries to read it from across the room to no avail. She does not have eagle eyes like Neji. </p><p> </p><p>“I haven’t even asked yet.”</p><p> </p><p>“I already know it’s going to be ridiculous and ‘no’-worthy, but ask away,” she says magnanimously.</p><p> </p><p>Lee puffs up, jogs over, and holds what turns out to be a real estate listing up toward her. </p><p> </p><p>“Move in with me!”</p><p> </p><p>“Absolutely not.”</p><p> </p><p>“But TenTen! Look!” Lee says, shoving the listing at her. It is an incredibly charming looking townhouse, she has to admit, but she is not at all swayed.</p><p> </p><p>“Why in God’s name would I want to trade my adorable apartment where I have the entire place to myself, to <em> rent </em> a <em> house </em> and live with you??”</p><p> </p><p>“Not <em> rent, </em> buy! If it was the two of us, we could buy it!”</p><p> </p><p>TenTen studies the listing purely out of curiosity, and certainly not to avoid Lee’s puppy eyes, which make his already round eyes even more saucer like. </p><p> </p><p>“It is a good price,” she says, because it is, not because she’s thinking about going in on the deal. She sees Lee practically every day already at work, it would be insane to try to share a house with him too. They are not siamese twins.</p><p> </p><p>“It used to be a split level building, the landlord could rent the smaller lower level out to singles and the top would be taken by two or three people. But then the last owners re-renovated it back into a single family home, for five, so! They’ve had a hard time selling it off and recently lowered the price because they need to move! This is our chance!”</p><p> </p><p>“Your chance,” TenTen corrects. The price may be good but Lee would still have to take out a sizable loan. It’s a rather strange purchase, but the house is cute. She can picture an adorable vegetable garden on that little walled off patch of dirt in the front of the building. </p><p> </p><p>“Right you are!” Lee says, and then the puppy dog eyes are back again. “I need to move, Tenten!” It’s true. Lee’s apartment is small and cramped and in a boring part of town and in the winter the heat was unreliable and in the summer, well, it smelled. He should have moved out a long time ago, honestly. He only took the apartment because he’d moved to the city on short notice, and what was supposed to be a very temporary thing turned into a three-year-long lease because the landlord supposedly gave him a “great deal.” </p><p> </p><p>She eyes him sternly. “Yes, you do.”</p><p> </p><p>“And it makes no financial sense for me to rent this house! But to buy it alone, it’s too much for just me, I need a second person! Who better to ask than my best friend!”</p><p> </p><p>“Great, you can ask Neji,” TenTen says, stacking her papers neatly before walking away.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Naruto gives Gaara a quick kiss as he grabs his coat and heads for the door.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll see you tonight!” </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, wait.” </p><p> </p><p>Naruto blinks at him, getting his arms in to the coat sleeves. Gaara fumbles in his school bag and fishes out a novelty keychain with - was that a bowl of ramen? Naruto smiles, and the smile freezes when he realizes, oh, the keychain is attached to a key. Gaara’s key. To his apartment.</p><p> </p><p>“You might get here before I do,” Gaara says, placing the key in Naruto’s hand. He was meeting with Kankuro off campus and it would be a bit of a commute to get back. “I want you to have this.”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto looks at the key in his hand. Spare key. </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks!” he says, a beat too late. Gaara doesn’t notice it at first, just nods, as Naruto shoves it in his pocket and hurries out the door.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Later he wonders whether he is being presumptuous.</p><p> </p><p>It’s not like he has asked Naruto to move in.</p><p> </p><p>He would very much like to have Naruto move in.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto’s place is by far the homier of the two, but Naruto spends more time at Gaara’s than Gaara does at Naruto’s. Part of this is convenience; Gaara’s apartment is very close to campus. It is also bigger, and more easily accommodates the two of them. Not that Gaara dislikes being pressed close to Naruto in his much smaller kitchen, or bumping into him at every turn.</p><p> </p><p>The key was for convenience as well, technically, though Gaara feels happy that Naruto seems comfortable keeping it. </p><p> </p><p>He won’t give up his own apartment though, Gaara is pretty sure. It’s close to his brother’s place and he is there often. </p><p> </p><p>He wonders what kind of place the two of them would choose together.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>“But it’s such a GOOD DEAL!”</p><p> </p><p>“Absolutely not!” Neji says, slapping his hand down on the house-for-sale flier on the table. “Can you imagine? Two men our age splitting a house? We’re not college students, Lee, and I refuse to be seen in such a sad looking living situation!”</p><p> </p><p>Neji’s mouth twists as Lee does that thing where his giant round eyes get even more giant and even wider. He looks like a kicked puppy. This does not change Neji’s feelings toward being seen as someone who can’t even afford his own living space (owning <em> half a house, </em> good God, what a nightmarish situation. What does one do with <em> half </em> a <em> house?!) </em>one iota. </p><p> </p><p>“No,” he adds for emphasis.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>“Morning, Naruto, you look particularly brainless today,” Sai says with that dumb bland smile of his. Naruto can’t even find it in himself to scowl at the guy, just gives him a flat look.</p><p> </p><p>“Look here, I’m only saying this because I feel sorry for you that you took on this job as Sasuke’s replacement and have finally realized we will never see you as an acceptable Sasuke and that must really suck, but you’ve gotta stop saying shit like that,” Naruto said. “Someone’s gonna punch you out one day, and by someone I mean definitely Sakura but also just in general, and it’s not going to be pretty.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did something happen to make you extra airheaded today?” Sai asks, genuinely curious, and totally ignoring Naruto’s advice. </p><p> </p><p>“Did something happen,” Naruto repeats. Well. He thinks about the novelty key fob in his pocket and the fact that he has explicit permission to be in Gaara’s apartment whenever he wants. (And Gaara had been so casual about it! But that's because Gaara was incredibly cool.) So what if his head has been a bit in the clouds? “I guess so.”</p><p> </p><p>“How unfortunate,” Sai says, handing him the matcha azuki latte order to give to a customer. They’ve been selling so many non-coffee things recently, but it seems to be working out.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you not smile like that in front of the customers, please?” Naruto mutters, for Sai’s ears only.</p><p> </p><p>“I read in a book that smiling puts people at ease.”</p><p> </p><p>“Alien,” Naruto says, under his breath.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve told you, I’m studying psychology.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s what an alien would say.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Lee decides to show up to the house viewing appointment he had that afternoon anyway, even if neither TenTen nor Neji decided to go in on the deal with him, he wanted to take a look before he decided on his options.</p><p> </p><p>To his surprise, there’s a guy around his age, about to ring the doorbell the same time as Lee.</p><p> </p><p>“Yo,” he says. Then he smiles, and his teeth are surprisingly sharp. “You here to see the house too?”</p><p> </p><p>Lee blinks, remembering his manners.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes! I’m Rock Lee, nice to meet you!” he says, extending his hand to shake. </p><p> </p><p>“Suigetsu,” his new acquaintance says.  He seems amused. “I’ve been looking to get my own place in town and this isn’t quite what I had in mind, but, well, it looked like a good deal…”</p><p> </p><p>Lee nodded, he understood exactly. “Well, you have competition!”</p><p> </p><p>The broker opens the door, smiling and letting them in. The house is in great condition, and Lee only likes the idea of owning it more and more. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you ready to make an offer?” the broker asks, at the end of the tour.</p><p> </p><p>To Lee’s surprise, Suigetsu sighs, and looks less than excited about the whole prospect, even though he was just as enthused over the crown moudlings and staircase placements as Lee was moments ago!</p><p> </p><p>“It’s just not practical for me to take something this big all by myself,” Suigetsu said. “I thought I’d be able to bring on someone with me before the appointment today but that’s not going to work out. Renting this much space doesn’t make sense for me alone either.”</p><p> </p><p>He was trying to buy the house with a housemate as well!</p><p> </p><p>And in that moment, a light bulb went off over Lee’s head.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I realized we didn’t have any roommate situations going on soo...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’d wanted to write about some of their early dates but then the timeline just kept going and then it was too late. SO. cheesy reminiscent flashback episodes is what we’ll do instead</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is struck with inspiration as he leads a geared up Shukaku into the park. Instead of trying to keep the dog from chasing birds and fighting a tree, he walks him along the path that circles the park. And then again. And again. And again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No more than five laps later Shukaku is in the mood for a break. Lee is a genius, Gaara thinks. He sends him a photo of Shukaku in thanks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shukaku sits down with a huff, and then stares at Gaara expectantly. No treats are forthcoming, but Gaara smiles. Shukaku growls. He could care less whether Gaara is happy. Gaara takes the growl for an expression of Shukaku's good mood and favors him a story.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Do you remember Naruto? He came to the park with us last time. Actually, the first time Naruto came on a walk with us, we went on our first date afterwards," Gaara says. Shukaku zones out, and starts to drool. "I didn't realize it was a date, but we had ramen - Naruto ate a lot, and I thought it because I'd interrupted him on his way to lunch so he must have been hungry but the truth is he just loves ramen. Then afterwards he asked if he could take me on another date."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shukaku gnaws on a rock, fed up with the boring story. Gaara is reminiscing on good memories and doesn't notice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I was really happy. Of course, I wanted to spend more time with Naruto for a long time, but never had the nerve to ask. I suppose you brought me good luck there, Shukaku.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shukaku perks up at his name, and rises to stand. Is it time to chase squirrels? Or small humans? He is ready. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara rises too, but doesn't let Shukaku off his lead to terrorize the shrieking children. Rude. Gaara babbles on about his second date and it's just as boring as the first. Yeah Shukaku remembers Naruto. He is the salty tasting one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Truthfully, I wasn’t nervous the first time, because you were around, and I hadn’t realized it was a date, perhaps. I was nervous for this second one, but more than that, I was happy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was happy Naruto wanted to spend time with someone like me. No, not someone like me, that he wanted to spend time with me,” Gaara says. He’s been working on making decisive statements. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In fact, he’d been so happy he said yes when Naruto called him that Wednesday morning and asked him if he wanted to go ice skating, he said yes before giving the question any thought. Gaara did not want to ice skate, he had never been on ice skates. If he had given it any thought, he would have come to the conclusion that it would have been utterly stupid to agree to make a fool of himself on ice in front of the boy he liked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nevertheless, he went ice skating, and hobbled around like a newborn deer, letting Naruto guide him around. Naruto seemed to enjoy himself, at least. He laughed, possibly somewhat at Gaara’s expense, and seemed so happy Gaara couldn’t complain. Then they hobbled off the ice and huddled in one of those big, plastic, clear tents with shops inside and had hot chocolates and other sweets. The lightest dusting of snow fell as Gaara walked Naruto home, and then, at the foot of the building stairs, Naruto turned to him, cheeks red and not from the cold, and asked if he could kiss him. He said yes before he had a chance to think about it. He would have said yes even if he did think about it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to admit, I was a little swept up in the moment and paid no attention to the fact that we were standing in the middle of the sidewalk. An old lady yelled at us," Gaara says. It's a funny memory now, but had been a bit of a shock at the time, caught somewhere between frustration and embarrassment. Naruto floundered, wanting to invite Gaara upstairs but not wanting to seem too forward. Gaara tried to do the gentlemanly thing and bid Naruto good night, but then lay awake all night regretting that the date was over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And somehow, Kankuro could tell </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediately</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The fact that he hadn’t brought his brother coffee some days before was the first clue, and the second was how happy/tired Gaara had looked the next morning when he showed up with not just Kankuro’s customary boring coffee order, but also a slice of lemon poppyseed pound cake and a London Fog. The first word out of his mouth was ‘congratulations’ (followed by a too-hearty slap on the back).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara’s birthday had been just a week later; he watched a movie with Naruto (who admittedly had not been informed it was Gaara’s birthday) and then had dinner with his brother, who gave him a cupcake without a candle, because “I mean, you were going to wish for the coffee kid anyway weren’t you, and that already came true.” Kankuro was probably right.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara stops, and takes a photo of Shukaku digging up a wildflower and sends it to Kankuro. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lee unlocks his phone to see he has one missed message, a photo from Gaara.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Guh!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TenTen looks over with curiosity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You look like you just swallowed a whole egg."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"TenTen!" Lee ignores her weird analogies and turns his crestfallen face toward her. "Did I offend Naruto's boyfriend in some way?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What? What did you do?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"He sent me a photo that must be a threat! But I can't imagine why he would be upset with me!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Did you challenge him to something insane like jogging through the park for five hours?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Urk."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Let me see that." He does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wow that is the ugliest dog I have ever seen."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>you've caught me. ive somehow devised a whole au just so i could write gaara being cute and every character noticing gaara being cute (this did not occur to me until just now but they SHOULD)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gaara soon learns that Naruto’s friend Sakura is a big fan of “brunch.” The first time he met Sakura and Sasuke it was at brunch. Half the time Naruto hangs out with Sakura it is for brunch. This time, Sakura has invited Naruto and Gaara to meet her girlfriend, over brunch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He supposes everyone has their food quirks, like how Kankuro always invites them to meals consisting of food that really shouldn’t be a meal on its own. Before the fries event there was a waffle emporium one late afternoon, and another time there was a fruit fondue lunch. Gaara is beginning to be concerned about his brother’s dietary habits. Perhaps he should have been bringing him something more nutritious than coffee this whole time.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm? Oh, that’s just a thing that girls do,” Naruto tells him. They walk to said brunch destination together, at a rather slow pace to enjoy the nice weather. It’s one of those perfect, sunny mid-spring days, before the threat of humidity even occurs to herald the cusp of summer. So, Gaara doesn’t understand why these people on the sidewalk are wasting such a nice day standing in line. It’s such an odd sight, and the line continues around the corner of the block-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto! Gaara! Over here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-and to the entrance of the brunch place Sakura had booked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow...guess it’s popular, huh?” Naruto tells him. Gaara does a double take - the line really is that long. And apparently Sakura and Ino have been in line for 32 minutes already, because the trendy breakfast spot takes no reservations.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t tell you to hold our spot because I knew you’d be late and then we’d all be waiting here in line for twice as long,” Sakura tells Naruto when he asks what the deal with the line is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t even make any sense!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ino, the blonde girl, loops an arm through Gaara’s as Sakura and Naruto bicker all the way to the table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gaara, right? I’m Ino, it’s good to meet you.” Gaara nods and trades the customary introductions and they all take seats. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been waiting to meet the rest of Sakura’s friends,” Ino continues, giving Sakura a sly, sidelong smile, “but apparently we had to keep putting it off because of a certain Sasuke.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is glad the mere mention of the name Sasuke no longer sends Naruto and Sakura into a dark mood. Instead, (and almost in unison), they snort derisively, a bit smug in the assurance that their plan to outdo HEBI in terms of sales is working. In another few months, the numbers will be in and Sasuke will taste defeat. They seem to be looking forward to this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, not that you’re supposed to be his replacement or anything,” Ino says. Gaara blinks his big eyes at her. He hadn’t even thought of that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sasuke is a little...unique,” Gaara answers diplomatically. He’s not sure Sasuke is replaceable, and he’s not sure this is a compliment. Just a fact. Sasuke’s chosen method of non-verbal communication is, well, a little like Lee, Gaara thinks, but also his personality is the opposite of Lee. Sasuke is an acquired taste, and a little rough around the edges. He hopes Sasuke is doing okay, having not spent time with his friends for nearly a month now. Gaara personally cannot comprehend this strange behavior.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ino bursts into laughter, Gaara’s honest anwer evidently not what she was expecting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god, Naruto, where did you find him? Gaara, you’re adorable. I swear. I could just put you in my pocket.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t,” Naruto says, flatly. Unlike Gaara, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>has</span>
  </em>
  <span> met Ino, and it was like spending time with two Sakuras, except put together they doubled in all forms of Sakuraness, bringing the decibel level to four times the Standard Sakura and four times as many jokes at his expense. Plus there was the hand holding, and the kissing, and it was impossible to not feel like a squeaky third wheel not even of the same set. He figured with Gaara here this time, if it got unbearable at least the two of them could beg off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except, no, of course that doesn’t happen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ino is absolutely fascinated with Gaara, asking him questions non-stop. On the one hand, Naruto catches up with Sakura, and it’s nice and all to talk outside of work, but on the other hand, she is </span>
  <em>
    <span>hogging</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gaara’s attention to a degree that is shockingly familiar.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Like that time Sasuke ended up sharing a meal with Gaara and leaving the restaurant with him. Or how Kakashi had stolen Gaara away when they invited them over for dinner, showing him how to make his famous fish dish and making plans to take Gaara fishing, and then showing him photo albums of his dogs. Good grief. Naruto understood why his boyfriend was popular (because he was perfect, obviously) but this is a little much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You like plants? Then you’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> the nursery!” Ino says with a too-charming laugh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto glances at Sakura. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Her natural mode is ‘flirt,’” Sakura explains. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s never like this when the three of us hang out,” Naruto says. By ‘this’ he means civilized.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura just shrugs. “That’s because you’re, well, Naruto.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s the nursery?” Gaara asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll show you! Right after brunch, right? Sakura? We can go, it’s just right around the corner. You’ve probably seen our plant shop; in the back is a plant nursery and oh, if you like cacti you’ll love the desert corner of the greenhouse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a sigh, Naruto watches Ino and Gaara leave the restaurant arm in arm while Sakura and Naruto get the check at the front of the restaurant. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Any grievance is quickly lost when they get to the greenhouse, and Naruto takes about three hundred photos of Gaara being cute as he helps Ino with plants. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Sakura! Can I borrow your tiny printer!” Naruto says, humming cheerfully. Sakura side-eyes him hard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you buy me more photo paper to replace all the ones you used?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Em.” He shuffles the lavender butterfly pea lemonade away and to the customer. It’s a slow afternoon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want twice as much as you used last time. Twice. And THEN you have to print on your own paper.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eh??! But shipping takes </span>
  <em>
    <span>foreverrrr, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’d have to wait til next week you know!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s what you get for using ALL of my paper to print 20 copies of the same photo of Gaara. You freak.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They weren’t the same picture! I couldn’t choose which one to print oh my god Sakura you are so mean.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura sticks her tongue out at Naruto like she isn’t the one who has about 4,000 couple selfies of her and Ino, including several printed sticker photo collages. Whereas Naruto only has one (!!!!) framed photo of his boyfriend, because he has framed photos of ALL his loved ones in his home! INCLUDING Sakura! Three of Sakura, if you include a grade school end-of-year class photo, and pre-teen group photo of Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto at the beach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto sticks his tongue out right back, and Sakura ignores him to scroll through her newsfeed since the shop is empty. She stops on a piece of national news, and, sticks her hand out in a ‘stop’ motion too, smacking Naruto in the face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naruto!” she says, agitation clear in her voice, before Naruto has a chance to flail and complain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” he says from behind her hand. Sakura shoves her phone in his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This!” It’s something about Inoichi Yamanaka named as the Secretary of Defense. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you were into politics,” Naruto says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“NO!!” Sakura takes her phone back, typing furiously. A moment later she shoves it back in Naruto’s face. It’s her girlfriend’s social media account, username up top: </span>
  <span>INO☆YAMA,</span>
  <span> featuring a much more curated selection of the bajillion couple selfies they have.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So her name is like a shorter version of this dude’s? Cool,” Naruto says, oblivious to Sakura’s full-on melt-down. She stares at him, eyes wide, hair strangely frazzled, and pale.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not SHORTER, they’re RELATED!” she hisses. She throws her head back. “Oh my God, are they going to do a background check on me???”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Am I going to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>security risk???”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto blinks at her, at a loss for words. Thankfully a customer enters, saving him from having to respond. Sakura makes the triple shot chai latte with shaky hands, and Naruto bids the customer a very happy farewell. Then he turns back around to give her a once over, unsure of the response she’s looking for.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So like. Do you think the government is listening to this conversation right now?” he asks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AHHHH.” Sakura groans in frustration.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my God, that’s what Sai is! He’s not an alien, he’s a </span>
  <em>
    <span>government spook!</span>
  </em>
  <span> They sent him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>spy</span>
  </em>
  <span> on us because you started dating an important person’s daughter, you know!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura gives Naruto a very flat look, then stomps off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, that makes me feel better, because if you believe it, Naruto, it can’t be true.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“HEY.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sasuke, with a HEBI customer: I used to have a really good friend named Naruto<br/>Naruto, angry and outside: &gt;:o SASUKEEE!!!!@!!!!!@!!!<br/>Sasuke: sometimes it's almost like I can still hear his voice</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>To say Sasuke is lonely without Naruto and Sakura would be absolutely preposterous. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not like they’re the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only friends he has.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He has- has-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> is an Adorable Teddy Bear Mocha Coco Latte??” Karin mutters as she scrolls social media angrily. God they’re so cute. And stupid. So stupid. Stupid name, stupid drink. “Team Seven is an embarrassment to coffee shops everywhere.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He has Karin. And Suigetsu! Not Kabuto though, Kabuto was management and an asshole and a nerd and definitely not a friend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Karin’s mood does an about face immediately; she sets both her phone and elbow down on the counter, and puts her face in her hand and smiles at Sasuke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ne, Sasuke, you remember when we met?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, we met at orientation.” What a banal question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? No! We met two years ago, at the convention!” The convention? Where he won the Best Barista award? “You tried an espresso of mine, remember? You complimented the flat white. I was thinking, we should expand the menu so as to keep up with our competitors.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke narrows his eyes, staring off to middle distance dramatically. “Yes, I’ve been thinking about that as well. Business was good, but a few weeks ago we started to see a decline. If it had only been a few days, we could have written it off to a fad. But the customers haven’t returned. This cannot go on. We cannot lose to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Na-</span>
  </em>
  <span> Team Seven.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He glances over at Karin, and while Sasuke doesn’t understand why exactly her eyes are sparkling and she looks so excited, he supposes at least she is willing to put in the work to make HEBI a smashing success. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke gets to his apartment building and stops in the lobby to check his mailbox out of routine; he hates it when junk mail piles up and makes a point to mark things return to sender with a note to leave him off their mailing lists. On this particular day, however, he has neither promotional junk nor bills in the mail. Instead there is a single postmarked envelope, with that disgustingly beautiful script on the outside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>From: Itachi Uchiha</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ugh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The perfect brother, with his stupid perfect penmanship, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>absolutely wacko </span>
  </em>
  <span>sensibilities. Who the hell in this day and age writes </span>
  <em>
    <span>letters???</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can’t send a text like a normal person,” Sasuke mutters, closing the mailbox with probably a little more force than necessary. If it were anyone else with Itachi’s particular mix of sensibilities Sasuke thinks they would be called ‘kind of a creep,’ or at the very least, ‘an old-fashioned weirdo.’ But no. Itachi is one of a kind and either can do no wrong, or makes the worst of transgressions. His brother is instead ‘eccentric’ and ‘has quite the style, doesn’t he,’ and apparently an early adopter of this newfound grandma-style trend that’s been so popular recently. He is also persona non grata to the family proper, because three years ago he made the announcement that he would not be joining the family business as everyone had expected, and he would not be finishing his business degree either. Then he packed up his things, moved halfway across the country, dabbled in various startups, before opening a little tea shop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he did so without a hint of his plans to his younger brother. Sasuke had thought they were close but evidently he was mistaken. And just as shocked as the rest of the family. No, more than shocked. He felt betrayed. Itachi said not a word of this to him, and on his way out gave Sasuke one of those sad cop-out smiles and bid him farewell and good luck at college next month and then left town. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The envelope is really nice stock. Sasuke feels embarrassed by the fact he doesn’t own a proper letter opener now. He retrieves the Swiss army knife from the drawer of the entry table, then hesitates. Did he want to read it now? Better to rip the bandaid off, right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or, no, maybe it was better to ignore it. Let Itachi suffer the way Sasuke has suffered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he left, it was just that Sasuke’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>feelings</span>
  </em>
  <span> were hurt. It was the fact that now all the expectations that were placed on Itachi were not placed on </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sasuke,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and in the worst of ways. He had grown up compared to Itachi, yes, but also practically ignored otherwise. The sudden onslaught of attention was </span>
  <em>
    <span>completely unfair</span>
  </em>
  <span> when no one had cared about his growth and progress before, and not expected him to be another person entirely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke nibbles his lip. He’s half a mind to rant about this to someone, and rather feels he needs to vent. Sakura is very good at this. She would come up with all sorts of mean things to say about Itachi that he would absolutely deserve. Naruto, while just as loyal, is not as good at this. In fact, he’d probably just say something that made Sasuke feel bad about being mad at his brother, maybe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ugh, he doesn’t want to think about Naruto.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Naruto doesn’t understand that at all, no matter what he says. Kakashi is so different from Naruto that no one would ever even think to compare them, whereas growing up everyone, Sasuke himself included, expected Sasuke to grow up to be just like Itachi, in every single way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Not that Sasuke would </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> make that comparison aloud. Naruto’s parents are </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It’s not the same at all. Even he’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> insensitive. Still. It doesn’t mean his feelings aren’t real.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both of them, to their credit, would encourage Sasuke to just punch things until he’d worked out his emotional turmoil. Maybe he could pay Lee a visit. No, there was too high a chance of running into Naruto or Sakura, if he sought out Lee. And while they always seemed to know what to do, when it came to feelings, they both currently wanted </span>
  <em>
    <span>explanations</span>
  </em>
  <span> from him, which was awful and horrible and certainly not what he was up for right now. Right. That’s right, they were currently being </span>
  <em>
    <span>horrible</span>
  </em>
  <span> at understanding Sasuke’s need to not talk about feelings, which is why they were on a friendship pause. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suigetsu said something about swords the other day. Maybe he would fight Sasuke. He’s taken a fencing lesson or two, and did some kendo as a kid, he could take Suigetsu.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Curiosity gets the better of Sasuke, and he cuts the envelope open. If he ignored the letter, Itachi would never even know he was being ignored. Itachi had already sent the letter. The only one suffering (of curiosity) would be Sasuke. He had to read the letter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke scans the letter, frowning at the perfect penmanship. As if Itachi had any right to still seem perfect, when he had utterly messed up Sasuke’s life. He skims the customary ‘how are you’s and ‘hope everything is great blah blah blahs’ and practically skips the middle updates of ‘the shop’s going fantastic because I’m Itachi and everything I touch turns to gold et cetera’s and finally, two lines from the end, he finds the point of the letter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I plan to visit Konoha in two week’s time, from the time I’ve posted this. I expect to stay a few days at least for business, but I should very much like to see you, little brother. It’s been far too long since we’ve caught up-</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke crumples up the letter and hurls it in the wastepaper basket and storms into his kitchen to wash his hands and angrily chop some vegetables. If he cannot swing a sword at his brother he will bring this heavy meat cleaver down on this head of cabbage until he has turned it into shreds. Okonomiyaki for dinner! Or nabe! He has so many choices. And vegetables. A great many of them, almost enough to work out his absolutely-</span>
  <em>
    <span>not-fear</span>
  </em>
  <span> but </span>
  <em>
    <span>frustration.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A visit! After all this time! Who does he think he is! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke stops mid-cabbage to fume. He wants Itachi to </span>
  <em>
    <span>grovel. </span>
  </em>
  <span>How can his stupid older brother just decide to </span>
  <em>
    <span>show up like that</span>
  </em>
  <span> and meet Sasuke for- did he even say? The point is. How can he just</span>
  <em>
    <span> decide?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He doesn;t get to just decide, he should be </span>
  <em>
    <span>asking, </span>
  </em>
  <span>asking in a way that </span>
  <em>
    <span>shows</span>
  </em>
  <span> he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> he did something wrong and that Sasuke’s forgiveness isn’t just a given, and-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke sets the knife down and stomps back out past the entryway to the wastepaper basket in the study nook of what was technically his living room so as to retrieve the letter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>-and we have much to say to each other. I, at least, know I do. I have missed you, little brother-</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he MISSED Sasuke so much, why was this the FIRST LETTER he’d gotten from Itachi in TWO YEARS? In fact, it’d taken Itachi </span>
  <em>
    <span>nine months</span>
  </em>
  <span> after he moved to write Sasuke the first time. Letters were regular for a while, but then they stopped. Became infrequent. (Admittedly, Sasuke did not respond to these letters. But it wasn’t like it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sasuke’s fault</span>
  </em>
  <span> that Itachi moved without telling Sasuke about it.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The letter ends with the address of Itachi’s hotel and request for Sasuke to visit. The nerve. The audacity. What does Itachi think he is, a 1940s gentleman of leisure? Sending a calling card to tea? Ridiculous. He can text Sasuke like a normal person and make a reservation somewhere that serves food that Sasuke couldn’t afford on the regular with his college student budget and Itachi could pay, as older brothers should. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke crumples the letter back up and drops it in the wastepaper basket and returns to his cabbage. He could think of FIVE restaurants off the top of his head that were expensive enough for Itachi to choose as a proper apology. He would not accept anything less.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sasuke is the real mvp here because without him this whole fic would just be me writing chapters of naruto doodling hearts around gaara's name</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first time Naruto sees Gaara, he sees color first more than anything. Bold red hair, and vivid green eyes. It’s so striking he can’t help but notice. It’s pretty, but in almost a fae sort of way. Like the guy in front of him might be nice to look at but he’d also use that to distract Naruto while he ate his heart. Scary! But still fascinating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Naruto never saw Gaara, eight months ago. He’d been nearly dozing while waiting for Sasuke, eyes closed under the sun.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And distracted he is. So much so that he ends up tripping on his own FEET and spilling coffee all over the guy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“aHHHHH!!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So much for convincing Kakashi they should start doing deliveries.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After Naruto’s tearful delivery failure, he figured he’d never see the guy again. How wrong he is. Gaara shows up the very next morning at Team Seven, and Naruto tries his best not to look like a flustered idiot this time because 1) what if he is here for revenge, 2) there is this ethereal elegance to him that makes Naruto especially not want to seem like a dope, thanks, he has his pride too, and 3) </span>
  <span>why didn’t anyone tell him the guy was </span>
  <em>
    <span>nice</span>
  </em>
  <span> as well as good looking?</span>
  <span> he is known for good customer service and he should very much like for them to return, you know.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Naruto is happy/embarrassed when he sees the guy he dumped coffee all over again, and relieved when he is not here for revenge. In fact he is not here for anything at all except one medium coffee. He takes it and leaves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And possibly the visit had nothing to do with Naruto at all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels just a tad disappointed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except Gaara comes back the next day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow! You look like you didn’t get any sleep!” Naruto greets his favorite redhead cheerfully. Gaara only looks at him, as he stands off to the side politely waiting for his order. Urk. Foot in mouth, again. Naruto flits off to make his coffee, same order. It’s nothing but pouring coffee into a cup, and then adding some milk, and even Naruto is capable of handling this level of a drink. He hands it to Gaara, who nods imperceptibly and says “thanks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto decides that maybe Sakura is right, and it is better when he doesn’t talk as much. He sticks to “Good morning!” and “Come again soon!” the next three times Gaara visits. Which are the next three days. That makes a week!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which is why he can’t help it the next time he sees Gaara!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow! You must really love coffee after all,” Naruto comments, filling a medium takeaway cup. “I’ve seen you here every day for a week!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara’s face is blank as always, though his eyes widen just a little bit. Maybe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto can’t help but smile. “But that makes sense! Our coffee is the best after all, you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Assured that Gaara hasn’t been showing up for anything other than a very normal, very standard morning coffee stop, Naruto starts to notice other things about Gaara, besides his very red hair and very intense eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara is quiet, first of all, and very courteous. He doesn’t exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>respond</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Naruto trying all manners of conversation starters with him, and his easy drink order doesn’t leave Naruto much time to try, but he always listens politely and nods when appropriate and thanks him before he departs with a nod. He notices Gaara opens doors for people and helps someone with their umbrella, and doesn’t reveal two words about himself otherwise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura notices before Naruto does. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That redheaded boy has been coming in for, what, nearly two weeks now?” she says, sidling up to him after Gaara leaves in a way that is sure to spell trouble. “What’s his name, Gaara?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A week and a half,” Naruto corrects, because if he sticks to the facts Sakura cannot indict him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you </span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> him,” she says in a sing-song voice. Naruto whips his head around, to stare at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Like him?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, the mirth, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>glee</span>
  </em>
  <span> on her face. She has realized something Naruto has not and foresees plenty of joking (at his expense) in the future. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And she’s right, of course. No matter what Naruto says about it being a challenge to engage his most quiet customer (not true, others are quiet as well), Naruto really </span>
  <em>
    <span>does</span>
  </em>
  <span> want Gaara to tell him things, about himself and so on, and that’s why he refuses to give up his cheery tirade every morning he sees him. The order never changes, and the visits continue to be frequent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A week later Naruto is willing to concede defeat to Sakura.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to help me!” Naruto says. He freely admits he is smitten! But that in fact doesn’t make things any better, it makes things </span>
  <em>
    <span>worse!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Whoever said the truth would set him free?? A liar! He cannot ask Gaara out on a date, because that would be totally unprofessional, and Gaara is </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to ask Naruto out on a date if he is as good a person as Naruto suspects he is because every shift Naruto stands RIGHT UNDER their big chalkboard menu which states in BIG PINK LETTERS that under no circumstances is anyone allowed to romance Naruto. A travesty. He has his brother to think for this rule (and, really though, he did thank him, at the time, because the date offers were getting to be kind of stressful) and now Naruto feels like a the romantic lead in a period piece, locked away in a tower by his cold, older relations, until they decide for him who he can marry. Cruel! Intolerable!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sakura laughs at him to his face for a good five minutes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara wakes up with a start, choking on air as he gasps and tries to steady his nerves. He can’t even remember what it was he was dreaming now that he knows he is awake, but he knows it had something to do with his father, something to do with his uncle, and that awful, awful school where he did awful, awful things. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He focuses on breathing, and tries not to think about anything else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s cold. The sky is gray because it’s still very, very early, and he is alone. It doesn’t help that hopeless-chasm feeling that’s opened up in his heart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels...empty. Devoid of hope. It’s the kind of feeling he has let swallow himself up in the past.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m different this time,” Gaara tells himself. If he says it enough times, maybe it will help.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> different this time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara has worked very hard to be a person who is good to others. He has loved ones. And- and friends.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They depend on him, just as he depends on them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara drags himself out of bed, so as to not let the memories pull him back under.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He showers, and dresses, then stops in front of the clock. He doesn’t want to be in this room alone. It’s early, but thankfully Gaara has friends who wake quite early. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he goes to the park now, he may find Lee there. Gaara can exhaust himself for thirty or forty minutes, trying to keep up, before heading to Team Seven to wait for Naruto to open the cafe and then keep him company as he gets the shop ready. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he called Naruto now, he suspects his boyfriend would come right over, no questions asked. But then he would be late for work, and it was too short notice to call up a replacement. So he’s decided. Gaara pulls on a jacket, and heads for the park. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You WHAT?!” TenTen and Neji shriek in unison, matching both decibel and pitch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lee winces, sticking a finger in his ear. Honestly, he didn’t see what the big deal was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Honestly it’s not even that hard to renovate a house,” Suigetsu says, while chewing his slice of pizza. “We can watch a few videos online and we’ll basically be good to go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lee gives his new buddy - and housemate! - a thumbs up. “I like your attitude!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them, eager to be free of their former living places, had both been willing to put down a good chunk of cash for the house, which let them knock down the price just a little more, and close the deal without a long escrow as might have otherwise happened. They both still have things they need to move, furniture to buy and so on, but have more or less moved in to spend their nights in the new place as soon as the keys were theirs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So they were homeowners now! Lee can barely believe it. What a great milestone in the springtime of his youth!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suigetsu, his new housemate-slash-friend, suggested celebrating with pizza, and Lee thought that was just a fantastic idea. He missed lunch for the final meeting with the broker and it was fast approaching dinner. They could eat now, and have another housewarming party to celebrate later! He couldn’t wait to give Neji and TenTen a tour of his house, and his beloved mentor Gai! He texted him a photo immediately of course, but that wasn’t the same as inviting him over to have some curry! Lee had many great memories of curry at Gai and Kakashi’s home, and now he could offer the same to his special people too!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose we could partition it off the way it was before, ground and lower floor as one unit, stairs leading up to the second floor from the front door hallway for the second unit as a triplex,” Suigetsu muses. “Split the reno costs evenly. And it also makes it easier to sublet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm,” Lee mumbles around his slice. “True, true.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re in the basement level right now, a cozy family/media/rec room with a kitchenette and giant screen for movie time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But it’s kind of nice to have the extra rec space, right? Then we wouldn’t have to turn this sweet theater into a bedroom or whatever,” Suigetsu says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lee nods emphatically. After dinner they would do a walkthrough and talk renovation plans. He thought the top level would make a great at-home gym.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neji and TenTen stare at the deed and papers in front of them. It was official. Lee had moved in with a complete stranger, and had put down a good amount of his savings to do it. Only the fact that Lee is is probably one of the hardest to murder people in the world keep TenTen and Neji from really going apoleptic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neji dutifully looks over the legal aspects, forehead vein bulging. Lee should have asked him to look things over </span>
  <em>
    <span>before</span>
  </em>
  <span> he signed! That was the whole point of getting legal advice! There was little he could do if Lee signed some really awful terms now that he’d already signed them!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To his relief things look more or less in good order. He’d do a second, closer read again later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And so!” Lee says, practically sparkling. “I’d like to invite you both to a housewarming party! Say, next-next Friday? We’ll have to have time to get the furniture in and everything. Gai is free then too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neji pinches the bridge of his nose. TenTen’s eye twitches.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she says. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Neji says. But they’re both thinking the same thing. They’re showing up tomorrow, and interrogating Lee’s new roommate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara wakes up at a quarter to 5 in the morning, by accident. There were no awful dreams this time, or a stranglehold of memories that kept him from sleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He squints. There is birdsong outside, so he supposes he has them to thank for his early day. He yawns, and then slowly rolls himself out of bed. He makes tea, because Temari recently sent him a nice set, and it would be a shame not to use it. It’s good tea, and something to do and something to drink even though it’s too early for him to want to eat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara takes a walk in the park, after, and he is surprised to find that Lee is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps his schedule is not so regular after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suigetsu rolls out of bed at 4 in the morning and strolls into the bedroom ensuite to brush his teeth. He has sooo much more room than he did before, it’s awesome. He thinks this is what used to be the master bedroom of the family home, and Lee didn’t want it because it was on the second floor, above the kitchen/living room/dining room floor (where their previous tenants likely hosted dinner parties!! Yuppies.) and wanted to like, work out taking the stairs or something weird. Suigetsu doesn’t mind. He gets the second floor, Lee gets the fourth (home to what looks like two children’s bedrooms and a play room sort of a shared space that Lee is turning into a study. The rest of the floors will be shared spaces - Lee is thinking of a gym for the fifth/top floor and they’ve yet to decide what to do with the third floor, which seemed to have housed a library, and while it looks respectable and all that, neither of them are too keen on giving up all that space to a library they won’t use. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suigetsu makes his way down the steps to find, oddly, that Lee is already awake at 4:15, looking as bright and cheery as he ever is. He is also digging through </span>
  <em>
    <span>Suigetsu’s stuff</span>
  </em>
  <span> and boy he hopes he didn’t just move in with like, a klepto or whatever. His financials seemed solid so Suigetsu’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> worried, but still. He hopes Lee washed his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is so cool!” Lee turns to him, eyes sparkling, holding up one of Suigetsu’s swords. Oh. Well that was understandable. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> cool. It was hard to keep your hands off something that cool. Except the one Lee is holding is like, a real sword, that could do some real damage, and not the movie replica set of props. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, watch it, those aren’t toys,” Suigetsu tells him with a warning look as he heads into the kitchen. He’d normally just eat at HEBI but like. The kitchen was all newly his and he wanted to use it right away. Even if it was to put a piece of bread in the toaster. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Suigetsu! You know how to use a sword??”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suigetsu grins. “Why? You wanna learn?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If anything, Lee looks even happier. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m trained in kendo! Not an expert, but, passable. Yes, teach me! Oh, and we could spar! Suigetsu this is great!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow you weren’t kidding when you said exercise was your passion were you.” Serves Suigetsu right for moving in with someone who owned (co-owned) a </span>
  <em>
    <span>gym.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Alright, but not til you’re good enough that you won’t get like, maimed or anything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I accept your challenge!” Lee says seriously. Suigetsu crosses his arms and nods sagely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like your attitude dude.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>next time Gaara's birthday rolls around Sakura's going to get him a fancy eye cream (it won't help. plus Gaara's skin is already envy worthy)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The moment we’ve all (me) been waiting for.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gai’s mouth twitches.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi, bless his heart, has been spending retirement doing the things he loves most - walking dogs, reading and writing romance novels, (Gai) - and now he already had a near-completed manuscript to show for it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai, like a fool, offered to read it when Kakashi shared the good news. Kakashi happily printed him out the first few chapters.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which Gai was now reading straight away at the breakfast table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was a mistake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So? What do you think?” Kakashi asks. Gai looks up, panics, and his eyes shoot to the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh - look at the time!” He stands, abruptly. “A work of literature such as this deserves my undivided attention. Alas, I will have to look at it later, when I can give it that proper attention! Off to work now, Kakashi. Goodbye!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he dashes out the door, fully aware that this is what a </span>
  <em>
    <span>coward</span>
  </em>
  <span> would do.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No, not a coward, this was a strategic retreat! Yes, that was it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai is oddly distracted all day, giving, frankly, not his best to the clients. TenTen notices and thinks it’s just a momentary distraction at first, but by lunch she stomps over to demand to know what’s wrong. It was probably Kakashi. He was probably sick again with an allergy or whatever. In which case Gai could totally just go, Lee could cover for him, didn’t he know that by now?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, out with it,” TenTen says, intercepting him once the room clears out. It’s then she notices the stack of papers in his hands. She leans closer, only to notice-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you reading porn at work??!?” she hisses, slapping the papers out of his hands. She KNEW that Kakashi was a bad influence on Gai! That moral-less floozy! Corrupting someone as wholesome and positive as Gai!!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Gai protests, scandalized. Then he lowers his voice. “It’s Kakashi’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>novel.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Those novels are porn! I don’t care if he wants to call them </span>
  <em>
    <span>romance,</span>
  </em>
  <span> they’re erotica is what they are!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not- not </span>
  <em>
    <span>those.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gai sighs, and runs his hand down his face. Then he stoops to pick up the papers, and TenTen feels bad but then steels her resolve. She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> touching those.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The novel that Kakashi </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrote,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gai explains. He looks sadly down at the manuscript in his hands, and shuffles them neatly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh now he’s writing porn, is he? I am not surprised. What are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> so surprised for?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai hesitates. Then he holds the papers out to TenTen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>give</span>
  </em>
  <span> me porn! Gai!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just read them,” he insists.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No! Kakashi has terrible taste!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Read them!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please! TenTen!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely NOT!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TenTen reads them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is terrible,” she says flatly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is!” Gai wails. “This is terrible, because the </span>
  <em>
    <span>novel</span>
  </em>
  <span> is terrible! What am I supposed to say to him?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai doesn’t know what to say to Kakashi, because it really is kind of awful. Kakashi has always been good at anything he chose to do, sometimes infuriatingly so. But he is terrible at this. Oh boy, is he terrible. Gai is not an expert in ro- erotica, but he is pretty sure that Kakashi is in fact terrible at this. The novel is unreadable. The prose is so purple it has an ugly bruise. The characters not only have ridiculous motivations or no motivations at all, but they have motivations that seem to change from chapter to chapter. Even the names Kakashi has chosen are terrible, from a writing standpoint, because some of them are so similar it is hard to tell the characters apart (especially when there is no solid </span>
  <em>
    <span>characterization</span>
  </em>
  <span> to back them up). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai doesn’t have the heart to tell Kakashi he is awful at this thing he so clearly enjoys doing very much.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just tell him it sucks,” TenTen says unhelpfully, which is so unlike her! Because TenTen is a wonderful team member and always willing to go the extra mile to make things great. She is never one to put someone down, or let someone down!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like, maybe he should stop writing,” TenTen adds, making things </span>
  <em>
    <span>all the worse.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“TenTen! I can’t tell him that!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Honesty is the best policy, Gai, you know that,” she says, looking not sorry at all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai looks down at the manuscript again. It is unusual that someone who loves romance novels as much as Kakashi, who read as many of them as Kakashi, could write such a terrible romance novel. Gai, on the other hand, has never gotten into such literature-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s it!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Perhaps it is just Gai’s untrained eye that leads him to believe ther writing is terrible. Perhaps it is not at all, and his amateur assessment will do Kakashi no good. He needs to seek out an expert.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What makes you think </span>
  <b>
    <em>I</em>
  </b>
  <span> read romance novels??” Neji says, aghast. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s one of his work days, not off days, but Gai had sounded so distressed on the phone that Neji agreed to meet him for a business lunch at one of his frequented respectable establishments where the tables are spaced far apart, separated further with potted trees, and you can talk without worrying too much about eavesdropping.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, Neji’s ears turn red as he skims the top sheet of the manuscript Gai shoves in his direction. He does not want to be caught with such - such - illicit material in public!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai shrugs, managing to look absolutely forlorn and quite uncomfortable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You read lots of stuff, Neji, I thought you would know,” he says so sadly that Neji doesn’t really have the heart to yell at him. Even if he has kind of just implied that Neji reads enough smut to know whether Kakashi’s smut is any good. Ugh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Curiosity gets the better of him and he skims a few pages, then winces and shoves the pile of papers away from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s kind of really bad,” Neji says uncertainly. He does read, yes, but biographies and things like that. Rarely fiction. Certainly never romance novels. It is possible that the standard of writing for erotica is really, really low. Those books certainly have that sort of reputation, don’t they? Neji is not an expert either. The two of them push their food around, wondering how best to let Kakashi down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t ask Lee either,” Neji says, traumatized and hoping to spare his friend. “He won’t know. And he won’t be any help. You’ll only make him sad that he has to be mean to your husband about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai had no </span>
  <em>
    <span>plans</span>
  </em>
  <span> to ask Lee. It’s just. He stops at a cafe, but not Kakashi’s cafe, hoping to get a feel for what a coffee shop romance might feel like, because that’s what Kakashi’s novel is. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t expect to find Lee there on his off day, conversing with a barista with pale hair and sharp teeth and a youthfully colorful outfit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right! I can feel so much more caffeine in this brew! I guess your strange looking machine has its purpose outside of decoration after all!” Lee says, before catching the new entrant out of the corner of his eye. “Coach!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai smiles weakly and waves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It turns out to be the best decision he’s made all day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, yes romance pulp fiction writing is not exactly high literature, and yes this writing is kinda bad even for that, but it’s totally salvageable,” Suigetsu says, spreading the pages out on the table he’s commandeered after scaring away the group of high school girls. Lee and Gai listen intently, poring over the pages as they take in Suigetsu’s sage advice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Cheesy is ok. Cliches are ok! Turn up the schmaltz! The melodrama! What is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> okay is being boring,” Suigetsu continues. “See, so the problem here is that there is way too much plot. Your writer’s a novice, right? Well tell him it’s totally fine to use a stock plot - you know, boy meets girl, they hate each other but are super attracted to each other so they argue all the time and you pepper in the sex scenes and then an interloper appears, makes a play for one of their affections, and they realize their feelings and confess. Voila. Or, arranged marriage, but weeks before the wedding one of them meets the man or woman of their dreams. Whirlwind romance, and all the while we’re worried they’ll be torn apart because there’s a lot riding on this wedding. Then deus ex machina and somehow the corporate merger dependent on the wedding doesn’t have to happen anymore! Voila! And as your writer gets more experienced he can start throwing in the plot twists. Like, maybe the person they meet before their wedding is their intended spouse after all! Or, the interloper is after both parties in the couple! They end up with a threesome! People are reading this for the absolute schmaltz, really, so ease up on the plot. This isn’t a detective novel.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you know all this?” Lee asks. Gai is wondering the same.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I have a cousin who acts in telenovelas, so it’s like, genetic,” Suigetsu says with a nod. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see!” Lee says. Gai wonders whether Lee understands how genetics work, or if he is just that polite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On his way home, Gai realizes that while Lee’s new friend has helped him diagnose the problem in Kakashi’s book, he still doesn’t know what he’s going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>say.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It’s not like </span>
  <em>
    <span>he’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> the expert in romance style writing and can point out all the unnecessary plot holes Kakashi has thrown in. He’s a little dejected by the time he gets to the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bisuke, the puppy, comes out to greet him as soon as he senses Gai on the walkway to the door. He leans down to ruffle his fur before joining Kakashi in the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s day at least has been normal, evidenced by to-the-minute routine Kakashi likes to keep being just on schedule. He is in his apron, and whatever is on the stove is simmering. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turns around and Gai’s smile is automatic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He leans over to kiss Kakashi on the cheek as Kakashi tells him ‘welcome home,’ and it’s this kind of little, domestic thing that Kakashi loves so much. This is romantic too, isn’t it?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I read your book,” Gai tells him, hooking his chin over Kakashi’s shoulder. It impedes Kakashi’s mobility greatly, but he continues to go about his kitchen-ing with a Gai-sized limpet hanging off his back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh? What did you think?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think I understand it, to be honest,” Gai says ruefully. “It’s not really my style of romance, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi laughs, loudly, and that’s certainly not what Gai expected. He’s nudged off Kakashi’s back as he leans over and has to steady himself against the counter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really? Mr. jump-out-of-a-helicopter to bring me flowers? What about all your over-the-top, very public declarations of love?” And then there are the more serious, but no less dramatic instances Kakashi doesn’t want to bring up in this light hearted back and forth. Like the first earnest confession when Kakashi left on that special ops mission and Gai was headed into battle in another country entirely. Or when Gai insisted on hiking Kilamanjaro right there with him when Kakashi tried to wander off, aimless and alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai frowns. It’s true. Out of the two of them he is the louder one when it comes to voicing his affections. But Kakashi is no less demonstrative if you understand his personality. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes well, we never had to deal with evil twins and secret pregnancies and step mothers coming back to life, did we?” he sputters.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm, true.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Won’t readers still enjoy it if you keep things simple? Not realistic, just, simple. About the- the love, and the feelings, I mean,” Gai tries. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks thoughtful at that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As long as the readers can feel the characters really love each other, that’s- probably good, I think.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. Duly noted. I suppose that’s not a bad idea,” Kakashi says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai sighs, slightly relieved to be done with it. “Of course it’s a wonderful idea, Kakashi! A romance novel must feature love!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi smiles, and plates the dish that’s finished cooking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But the truth is, you hated it, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Urk.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Haha, you can’t lie to me Gai. Did you think I wouldn’t realize?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai sweats.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve never picked up any of Jiraiya’s books and you’ve fallen asleep every time I put on one of the movie adaptations. You may be dramatically romantic, but it’s definitely not your genre.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai doesn’t know whether to be relieved or miffed that all his panic has been completely unnecessary. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ok that got a little out of hand.</p><p>And I guess I lied when I said no relationship drama. TenTen absolutely thinks Kakashi is just some hussy with no prospects who has latched onto their coach - a wonderful human being and deserves better than this hobo/hanger-on. Neither Kakashi nor Gai have any inkling of this. It is just TenTen’s private drama because I personally find the misunderstanding hilarious.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>oh my gosh i have been so busy and I had notes for plot somewhere but I can’t FIND THEM, but also i needed narugaa fluff and couldn’t find any so i had to write some myself so here is a short and rushed thing</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto thinks there’s quite a few things about Gaara that people would be shocked to discover.</p><p> </p><p>One, Gaara is a sneaky bastard.</p><p> </p><p>Case in point: they’re watching a movie on Gaara’s bed of a couch when Gaara slowly, silently, lifts his bare, <em> ice cold </em> feet from the ground and - sets them on top of Naruto’s own feet. </p><p> </p><p>Naruto swallows an undignified yelp and shoots a look (more a pout than a glare) at his boyfriend, who pointedly does not look at Naruto. In fact, he continues to wear that innocent blank look on his face as if he had done nothing at all. </p><p> </p><p>Naruto sighs, loud and exaggerated and put-upon. “If you wanted to cuddle, you could have just <em> said,” </em> Naruto says, teasing with a completely serious tone. Gaara then looks over at him, mild surprise on his features, as Naruto grabs him by the ankle and tugs until Gaara is flush against his side. </p><p> </p><p>Two, Gaara has the most undignified laugh.</p><p> </p><p>He <em> snorts. </em> He’ll cover his face and try not to snort which then results in even <em> funnier </em> noises. </p><p> </p><p>Gaara is so quiet and smiles more than he laughs that Naruto is sure no one would believe him. Naruto couldn’t believe it the first time Gaara went into full on hysterics, which, admittedly, involved a fight over a phone and Naruto might have played dirty once he realized Gaara’s sides were ticklish and got headbutted for his troubles. </p><p> </p><p>Three, Gaara is a kissing monster!!!</p><p> </p><p>Gaara isn’t one for PDA, and actually at the beginning Gaara was so reserved that Naruto wasn’t even sure he particularly liked kissing, and it’s not like Gaara jumps him the moment they’re alone, but Naruto has noticed.</p><p> </p><p>It begins a little while after they start to date. Once they become official, more specifically. It is as if the moment Naruto asks Gaara to be his boyfriend some switch has flipped on, and Gaara realizes he can kiss Naruto whenever he wants. And he does! Almost experimentally at first.</p><p> </p><p>“Naruto.” </p><p> </p><p>Naruto turns to blink at Gaara, because they were standing side by side and chatting as they set the table with the just-purchased takeout, and it is slightly disarming that Gaara stop and calls his name. Before he can ask, however, Gaara takes a half-step to close that little gap between them and kisses Naruto once, chastely. Then he goes back to unpacking the food containers like nothing had happened.</p><p> </p><p>It starts to happen frequently. The first time was when he was leaving Gaara’s apartment - a goodbye kiss. Naruto hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, but he’s seeing the pattern now. Gaara always calls his name to get his attention, and then he plants one on him! At utterly random times. He seems pleased as punch about it too, and Naruto sure isn’t complaining. He just thinks it’s funny that Gaara seems so surprised when Naruto kisses him at random when he’s the one who tries to find any excuse to, these days.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto tugs his shoes on over his heels and when Gaara calls his name he stands, at the doorway, already knowing what’s coming. Gaara leans in - but the kiss doesn’t come. Naruto blinks down at Gaara after a moment, only to find Gaara frowning at Naruto’s chin in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>“Gaara? What’s wrong.”</p><p> </p><p>“You got taller,” Gaara mutters, more to himself than anything, sounding...kind of offended?</p><p> </p><p>“Um.”</p><p> </p><p>Gaara crosses his arms, deep in thought as he totters off back into the apartment, kiss forgotten. “When did this happen?”</p><p> </p><p>“Gaara? Gaara!”</p><p> </p><p>(Four, Gaara can be petty about the weirdest, tiniest things.)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sasuke fills a little porcelain bowl with dry cat food and sets it on the counter near his kitchen window, which is open just a crack.</p><p> </p><p>“Meow!”</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke almost smiles. “Prompt as ever, aren’t you?” She makes a cute face at him, and he takes it as an okay to gently scratch her behind the ears. She kept to a very regular routine, much like Sasuke himself.</p><p> </p><p>He wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to say he’s taken in a cat, no, despite the fact that he’s gone and bought cat food in bulk (it’s more economical) and a bowl for the pretty gray kitty with a striped tail who deigns to visit from time to time, and that Sasuke knows her schedule. It’s just that he’s told her many a time that she is more than welcome.</p><p> </p><p>Finished with the pats, Sasuke washes up and finishes setting his place for his own breakfast. The two of them eat in peace and quiet. These are Sasuke’s favorite kind of mornings. </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Gaara goes to the gym, because he is a man of his word. </p><p> </p><p>He told Lee he would, and now he is here, trailing behind TenTen, who gives him the tour and rundown of the various classes they hold throughout the week. </p><p> </p><p>In the back is a room with a boxing ring, and Gaara’s eyes widen in surprise seeing Lee fighting a man he’s seen before at the cafe - long hair, light eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Gaara! Hi! Do you want to try boxing!” Lee waves at Gaara, and Gaara waves back, briefly, and shakes his head. </p><p> </p><p>“Not boxing then?” TenTen says. Gaara’s already rejected the zumba class (silly as it sounds, he feels it’d be embarrassing to dance), but there’s plenty more to go. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Gaara says quietly, and that surprises TenTen.</p><p> </p><p>“Boxing - as Lee teaches it, in any case - isn’t about hurting people. It’s sport. Some people take it for self-defense, but if anything it’s about facing yourself,” she explains. “There’s a lot of discipline involved in any of the martial arts.” He doesn’t say anything. “You’d probably like rowing,” she muses. “It’s meditative, and you seem the pensive type, and there’s a teamwork element if you prefer, which I think you would.”</p><p> </p><p>Gaara cocks his head, curious. “Come back Thursday,” she tells him, and he nods. “But today, I think you can try Soul Cycle.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Gaara steps off the stationary bike, not physically wobbly, but mentally - well - he’s dizzy with what he assumes are endorphins and the air tastes like euphoria. He floats more than he walks to where TenTen is at the front desk, with the intention of telling her that he appreciates the experience but would like to try something else next time. The dim room with the colored lights and spiritual soundtrack backing Gai as he cheered the class on was a bit. Much. Gaara wonders if he’s accidentally joined a cult. Is this what drugs feel like. </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke nods at Suigetsu in greeting as he comes in for the afternoon shift to relieve his coworker. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh Sasuke! I’m having a housewarming party next next Friday! You should come by, I’ll text you the address,” Suigetsu says.</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke’s immediate instinct is, of course, to say no. Instead, he gives Suigetsu a noncommittal “hn,” and feels incredibly pissed at himself for getting into this kind of situation that he now has to devise a plan out of. He does not want to be trapped inside the same building as Suigetsu’s friends. Anyone weird enough to be friends with Suigetsu is someone Sasuke would only approach with caution. Dammit, he’s Suigetsu’s friend, isn’t he? Damn. Is this the price of friendship? Having to go to horrible things like housewarming parties? Sasuke does not understand why anyone would like to mar the memories of a perfectly good house with something as noisy and messy and awful as a <em> housewarming party, </em> where aunts bring casseroles that will absolutely turn into leftovers and cousins bring craft beers that suck and there’s always that one friend that stays too long and ugh what a mess.</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke scowls, tying on his apron. And how did Suigetsu get his number to be able to text him anyway? It must be Kabuto’s doing. He hates that guy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This petshop scene is 100% inspired by mc2rt’s comment asdjlajsd. This is set pre-defection but after Sasuke’s made his decision, probably.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sasuke stops at the pet store immediately after class, ignoring a very noisy Naruto who invites him and Sakura out to ramen. Sasuke has never once felt compelled to choose ramen over literally anything else for dinner (lunch, </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe)</span>
  </em>
  <span> in his </span>
  <em>
    <span>life</span>
  </em>
  <span> and he doesn’t know why Naruto is still holding out hope. He is not surprised that Naruto is here trying to rope him and Sakura into his artery-clogging, sodium-filled shenanigans - Gaara was smart and probably already blew him off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke is so eager to get to the pet store, in fact, that he goes, willingly, knowingly, to the downtown store close to campus and close to his apartment, even knowing that it is more expensive here (outragous, the markups, really. Sasuke understands retail) than if he waited to do his weekend bulk shopping out in the suburbs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tells himself it’s for the good of the neighborhood. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> the little gray kitty who stopped by this morning while he was frying some fatty, delicious mackeral, hasn’t declared she is visiting for good. She hasn’t even stopped by more than once yet, to set a pattern. But what if she comes tomorrow morning, and Sasuke has nothing to offer her? He certainly doesn’t want to set the expectation he is sharing his own breakfast every morning, that would be bad form.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hence, the trip to the pet store.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He picks out some food - a mix of wet and dry, and different flavors and brands, obviously. They’re still getting to know each other. Sasuke wants to know her tastes. And then if he gets some litter and a box and a toy and a brush that’s just Sasuke being cautious. He wouldn’t want the cat to make a mess in his apartment, or discover she has knots in her fur and have to use his own comb. That would be unhygienic. It’s not like he’s here buying cat furniture and a scratching post. That would be going way too far and Sasuke is not one of those cat fanatics at all, he is merely a reasonable apartment resident who is preparing for eventualities.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shifts, arms full, and curses himself for not having the foresight to have grabbed a cart. The little squeaky mouse he picked up drops from his pile of cat goods and bounces with a pitiful </span>
  <em>
    <span>sqwee.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Sasuke says with a scowl, embarrassed that the person who picked up the squeaky mouse has to place it on top of the pile in his arms rather than hand it to Sasuke like a dignified person. His eyes widen as he recognizes the cat toy savior. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you had a cat,” Gaara says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t,” Sasuke replies. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara doesn’t say anything, and Sasuke doesn’t deign to elaborate. Sasuke looks him over - he is holding a chewy ball toy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you had a dog,” Sasuke says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara startles imperceptibly, then realizes, and looks at the ball he’s holding. “I don’t,” he says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither move toward the checkout counter, their obvious destination. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, you go first,” Gaara says in that monotone of his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sasuke’s instinct honestly was to have pushed past Gaara without a word to do so, but, ugh, he is Naruto’s boyfriend and Sasuke is trying to be nice and all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, you go ahead,” Sasuke says through gritted teeth. “You have fewer items.” That was the way things worked. Like taking turns feeding into the highway. It was common decency.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I insis-” Gaara starts, only to get interrupted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me,” Orochimaru says, pushing past the two of them out from one of the aisles and heading to the checkout ahead of both of them. This is why Sasuke hates formalities. They were stupid. Actions spoke louder than words.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then he blinks. It takes a moment, but the two of them notice, then, what Orochimaru is here for. There is a tank under one arm, filled with snakes. There is a tank under his other arm, filled with mice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara turns a shade paler, if it’s even possible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even Sasuke makes a face.</span>
</p>
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